The national law for the licensing of veterinary nurses was finalized in Japan by　 Cabinet decision on the September 24th, 2021. This is the first time that veterinary nursing has been given official status under the law in Japan. Under this new system, which is a joint endeavor between the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, a core curriculum has been established to which all the relevant educational institutions must adhere. Veterinary nurses in Japan are educated mainly by two types of educational institutions; universities with a 4-year curriculum and vocational schools with a 3- or 4-year curriculum. All of these institutions must hereafter adhere to the core curriculum set up by the government in order for their graduates to qualify as candidates for the national examination. The first national examination for licensing will take place in early spring 2024. Before the enactment of this law, veterinary nurses in Japan were licensed by a private organization, the Japanese Veterinary Nursing Association. However, this did not deter the education or employment rate of veterinary nurses in the field. Needless to say, there are currently a great number of those who are gainfully employed in veterinary medical facilities, as well as in other animal related sectors. This new law provides a route through which these people may also be licensed. However, the route is not as simple as a straightforward grandfathering clause. The law states that "those who have worked for more than 5 years in the area of companion animal care and nursing, or in supporting or advising roles on companion animal welfare and care" are entitled to sit for the national examination, provided they attend an officially designated workshop/class set up for this purpose, and take a preliminary exam following said workshop/class. This may be somewhat of a burden for those already working in the field, but there seems to be no open opposition to the new system from veterinary nurses themselves.

Although many animal welfare groups around the world have taken a negative stance towards the keeping of animals as school or classroom pets, many elementary schools in Japan have traditionally kept rabbits. It is believed that this tradition can be traced back to the Meiji era (1868-1912), when many schools introduced small animals and plants into the classroom in order to teach children to appreciate nature through care and maintenance. However, in the very beginning, the pets were simply insects or local aquatic animals. Rabbits did not become the mainstay school pet until later. They appeared on the scene towards the latter part of the Meiji era. Since many farmers kept rabbits for meat and fur, it was a simple, available choice. Later, during the Great Depression and the Second World War, rabbits were raised to supply meat and fur, especially to the military during the war, but the original "school rabbit" was not kept specifically for that purpose.
Schools have continued to keep rabbits, but other animals have also been popular as school pets. Birds and guinea pigs, as well as various forms of aquatic life, have been kept in schools. Under the Education Ministry Guidelines, more precisely, in the curriculum guidance for defining the basic standard for education set forth by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the words "animals and plants may be kept and cared for" appear under the section of Life Environmental Studies. This by no means obligates schools to keep live animals, but since the above wording does appear in the official guidelines, many schools have naturally opted to do so.
The current trends in school pets have changed significantly over the past several years.
A decade ago, over 90% of elementary schools kept animals as school pets. Approximately half of these pets were small mammals and birds, about half of whom were rabbits. . Currently, the number of schools keeping pets has decreased to a little over 80%, of which small mammals and birds now account for about 30%, with the majority of pets now being fish, turtles, crayfish, and insects.
What has caused this downturn? There are many reasons that have caused educational institutions to give up on the keeping of animals, especially mammals and birds. The most obvious reason is the difficulty in caring for the animals during long vacations.

A recent survey conducted by The Asahi Shimbun, a national daily, focused on the attitude of the Japanese public towards dogs as pets. Dogs were the most favored pets in the country for a long time. But several years ago the estimated number of cats kept as pets surpassed that of dogs. The recent survey conducted by the Asahi asked their readers a very simple question, "Do you like dogs?" 71% of the respondents answered positively. The remaining 29% answered that they did not like dogs. The Asahi conducted a similar survey some years ago on cats where only 52% of the respondents answered positively. Though this is just one survey, the public attitude seems to favor dogs over cats. The survey also looked into the reasons as to why the respondents liked dogs. The most frequently used terms by the respondents to describe the reason why they liked dogs, were words such as "cute", "likes people", "loyal", "smart", etc... It seems that the "likes" side was based more on perception, feelings... Since over half of the "likes" group answered that they were not currently living with a dog, past experience and the perception of dogs which it helped formulate were the main factors affecting the positive answers.
On the other hand the "dislikes" group gave more concrete reasons as to why their feelings about dogs were negative. The two top reasons stated by the negative respondents were the possibility of bite accidents and the problem of barking. These reasons seem to be more concrete examples of issues that may arise with dogs. Another interesting aspect of the "dislikes" was the negative attitudes the respondents felt towards dog owners rather than the dogs themselves. Some respondents stated that the problem was with owners who allowed their dogs to relieve themselves everywhere. Others stated that they did not like the "self-centered attitude" of dog owners. This means there are certainly cases where people who claimed that they do not like dogs are actually upset over the behavior of dog owners rather than the dogs! Another interesting aspect of why people do not like dogs is that they are "care intensive". Some of the reasons stated by the "dislikes" group were, "too much work to care for" and "takes time to train". Apparently, people who expressed a "dislike" for dogs did so for the reason that they take too much time and effort to keep. This seems to be a possible reason for not owning a dog, but not necessarily a reason to dislike one.
The difference in the reasons behind whether people like or dislike dogs seems a bit strange. But perhaps there is a reason behind this difference. Those with a positive attitude towards dogs seemed to be affected more by what one may call a stereotype of the dog in Japanese society. The Japanese breeds are often described by words such as "loyal" and "intelligent". There are many folktales of dogs helping their people. Children's tales are filled with memorable canine characters, such as the dog who led his kind owner to a buried treasure trove. And of course, there is the world famous dog Hachiko, who was known for his unending loyalty towards his owner. The story of Hachiko, or perhaps better known in the West as Hachi, is a true tale of a dog who waited at the station for his master to come home even after his master's death. Such tales have contributed to creating the image of the dog as a loyal friend and partner.
On the other hand those who did not like dogs were more affected by issues pertaining to the "real world". For example "barking" has been a big issue in a country where the population density in urban areas is extremely high. Socialization is another problem with many city dogs that live in apartments and condominiums where they are oftentimes isolated from the world. Some dogs, especially the smaller breeds, get much less chances to walk out into the real world to meet strangers and other dogs. Naturally such dogs may develop a tendency to overreact to the unknown. This may, at times, lead to a higher potential for biting incidents.
Furthermore, irresponsible owners are also a problem. Though Japan is known for its cleanliness, there are still those who will not pick up after their dogs. Excrement in the park and other public areas have been a point of concern for many local governments. Some years ago a city council in western Japan tried to enact a "dog tax" in order to deal with the "poop issue" on the streets. Though the law never came into being as of now, it highlights the fact that this issue does arise in many localities and irritates the public. Respondents to the survey who stated that they do not like dogs were perhaps reacting to such social issues. This is very unfortunate for the poor dogs who certainly are not responsible for all the problems caused by their owners!
The point concerning dogs as being care intensive is very interesting and it seems to underline the increasing presence of dog care services, or businesses to be more precise.
Obedience classes, dog spas, grooming salons, dog runs, doggy day care, tailor made food... there seems to be an endless supply of services to care for one's pet pooch! Such a services may be appreciated by owners who are not good at caring for their animals or who are looking for more thorough care. On the other hand, those who are exposed to such advertisements on a daily basis may feel that dogs are indeed very expensive to care for and much more time consuming than other pets.
Though many Japanese people seem to prefer dogs to cats according to this survey, it is somewhat enlightening to see the reasons behind why people like or dislike dogs. It would be interesting to explore what sort of results similar surveys would bring in other countries and other cultures!

The COVID pandemic continues to endanger lives throughout the world. It is still difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. However, we humans must strive to learn what this tragedy is trying to teach us. In terms of our relationship with other living creatures with whom we share the planet, there is certainly a valuable lesson for us to learn at this time. Humans must look back to reconsider how we have interacted with wild animals in the past. Needless to say, this pandemic is not the only time in recent history that mankind has been plagued with the devastating effects of a zoonosis. We have domesticated many animals to suit our own needs. As far as these animals are concerned, both human and veterinary medicine have identified what dangers there might be in excessive contact between man and animal. Furthermore, ways to lessen such risks have been developed over the years. But, the risks of excessive contact between humans and wild animals is a totally different story. This pandemic is warning us of the inherent danger in excessive and "unnatural" contact with wild animals.
WWF Japan has very recently conducted an online survey on Japanese public attitude towards wildlife. 1000 people responded to an online questionnaire about wild animals and rare alien species. The age of the respondents ranged from teenagers to senior citizens. Japan is known as a large market for "exotic pets" and WWF Japan felt the need to clarify whether or not the general public was aware of the wildlife factor related to this pandemic. Unfortunately, one third of the respondents expressed the desire to "touch" rare animals and one in every six expressed the desire to keep such animals as pets!
33% answered positively to the question, "Would you like to touch these animals?" The positive responses came mainly from the younger generation, with 63% of the teenagers and 49% of those in their twenties stating that they had a desire to put their hands on exotic species. 17% of the respondents expressed the desire to keep such animals as pets.
When asked about whether they were aware of the risk of zoonosis pertaining to wildlife, the dangers posed by alien species brought into the country, and the fact that the current pandemic has been traced to human wildlife contact, 68% stated that they were "totally unaware" or "did not know much" about the issue!

The Japanese countryside has lately been experiencing a surge in wildlife encounters.
Bear encounters have increased this year and farmers have been worried about this trend. One of the reasons for this phenomenon is the relative lack of acorns as compared to the previous years. Japanese bears usually feast on acorns in late autumn in preparation for their long hibernation. It seems that the oak trees in the forests have not been as productive this year sending the bears out to forage for more food near human habitation. There have been numerous accidents, some fatal, reported in rural areas.
Needless to say, hunters have been called upon to deal with the bears when sightings are reported. This oftentimes results in the bears being put down. When human lives are put at risk, this may be the only solution, but in the long run such countermeasures may drive the bears to extinction. There are two types of bears in Japan. The main island of Honshu is inhabited by the Asian black bears, Ursus thibetanus japonica. Hokkaido, the northern island of Japan, is home to the brown bear, Ursus arctos yesonesis.

According to the law pertaining to animal welfare in Japan that has recently been revised, the Ministry of the Environment will set forth certain standards that must be followed by those who have registered as animal businesses. Animal welfare groups have constantly complained about the lack of clear standards on the keeping of animals by pet shops and breeders. These groups have said that without definite quantitative standards it is extremely difficult for public inspectors to enforce the law. What does adequate staffing mean? How large should an enclosure be to ensure the welfare of the animal?
Animal welfare groups and sympathetic legislators have long insisted that without numerical values, it would be impossible to ensure the quality of life for the animals kept by business establishments. The lack of standards has also made the job of official inspection difficult, as inspectors must ponder over where to draw the line.
With the 2019 revision of the animal welfare law, the Ministry of the Environment has set up a task force to specifically address this issue with the goal of creating standards that must be followed by pet businesses. The document created by this task force will come up for review on October 7 during the meeting of the Animal Welfare Committee of the Central Environmental Council, an advisory group of the Ministry.
Animal welfare groups have been lobbying steadily for improvements to be made within the pet industry. They have been voicing their ideas on what these standards should be. For example, in terms of adequate staffing for animal care, many groups have been advocating for 10 animals per staff member. As for housing standards these groups stress the need not only for adequate floor space but also for "height", especially for cats. The requirement voiced by animal advocates is a minimum height of 170-180 centimeters for cat enclosures.

The world is now changing rapidly with the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The origin of this virus is thought to be the wet-markets in China where large numbers of wild animals were being sold for human consumption. Large markets where wild life is sold as food remains unregulated in many parts of the world. Needless to say, this poses a grave danger to global human health as proven so dramatically with the COVID-19 outbreak. Many people have been speaking out against the escalating trends in the global wildlife trade and this pandemic has added a new note of urgency to these voices.
Recently the World Wide Fund for Nature, also known as the World Wildlife Fund, conducted an international survey on the attitudes of people concerning these markets.
The WWF survey covered 1000 people each from Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong, Myanmar, and Japan.
On whether or not these unregulated markets where wildlife is sold should be banned, the rate of support for closure varied between the countries queried. Interestingly, the lowest rate of support was found in Japan, with 72 percent for closure. This was behind 91 percent in Myanmar, 80 percent in Hong Kong, 79 percent in Thailand, and 73 percent in Vietnam. When asked of their concern for the emergence of similar pathogens in the future if these markets are not regulated, Japan once again ranked below their fellow Asian countries in responding positively. 65 percent of the queried group in Japan said that they would be concerned if measures were not taken to control these markets, as compared to 85 percent in Hong Kong, 83 percent in Vietnam and Myanmar, and 80 percent in Thailand. Finally, in terms of the support that they would give to the authorities to initiate measures to regulate these markets, everyone, with the exception of the Japanese, expressed their willingness to do so, over 90 percent answering positively for regulation. Here again, interestingly, only 54 percent of the Japanese respondents expressed their support for governmental action.

In September 2018, an outbreak of Classical Swine Fever (CSF) was reported in Gifu Prefecture, a central mountainous region of Honshu, the largest main island of Japan. Since first reported in a pig farm in Gifu, the number of infected animals and facilities has continued to rise. By the summer of 2019, 25 farms in 5 different prefectures were affected and the number of animals put down rose to over 100,000. Over 500 cases of infected wild boars have also been reported by June 2019. Though, Japan saw its last case of swine fever early in the 1990's, and had declared itself "clean" to the OIE in 2007, the reemergence of this deadly disease is now a large threat to the domestic industry.
Tests have shown that the strain of the pathogen causing this new outbreak is different from what was domestically seen in earlier times before the disease was eradicated. This new strain of the CSF virus is thought to have been brought in from the Asian continent. Its first outbreak in Japan is thought to have occurred in wild boars that ingested contaminated garbage containing the pathogen. In other words the garbage had contained contaminated meats and meat products brought in from the continent. Furthermore, an African Swine Fever outbreak has started on the Asian continent with the first cases reported in China in 2018; of which no cases have been reported in Japan yet. Though the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has been enforcing biosecurity measures in farms, such as setting up barriers to prevent the entry of wild boars as well as outsiders, there is the continued issue of tourists both domestic and foreign that bring in meat products from the continent. Since the novel corona virus (COVID-19) outbreak, there has been a widespread decline in the international movement of humans, but prior to this outbreak, over 500 international flights came in and took off from Narita Airport alone in one day. Since a little over one third of international travelers come in through Narita, it is where the most important defense outpost should be to prevent pathogens from entering the country. This is where the agriculture dogs, the sniffers, are put to work in search of "agricultural contraband". The handlers and the dogs work as a team and go through the baggage claim area. The dogs will sit in front of any "suspicious bags" to indicate that they have found "something". Officials will approach the owner of the baggage and take them to the inspection counter. If the baggage contains restricted food products including both animal and plant products, needless to say, the owners are required to relinquish all such items. Often the people bringing in these products state that they are for personal use only and are not for "commercial use". What they do not understand is that the inspection is not for the detection of tax evaders, but is done to prevent contagious diseases from entering the country. The officials are health professionals working to protect the domestic scene from foreign pathogens. Most travelers thus caught are those who have inadvertently brought in animal and plant products without knowing the regulations. However, there are some who try to enter the country with boxes and boxes of meat products and refuse to give them up. At Narita, the agriculture dogs and their handlers have been successful in maintaining a high rate of detection but not all ports of entry can be thus covered.

As the hosting nation for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Japan can expect to see a large increase in the number of foreign visitors next summer. One of the issues that has recently been brought up is the access rights of service dog users.
Japan is perhaps the only country in the world that has a legal certification system for service dogs. The Japanese law concerning people with disabilities that use service dogs has two main sections. One deals with access rights, stating that all public institutions and facilities that are open to the general public may not refuse entry to service dogs and their users. In other words the first part of this law guarantees access.
The second part of this law states that to be given access, service dogs must be certified by a third party, an institution designated by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labor.
In short, the state through the law demands that all service dogs to be allowed to enter public facilities, public transportation, commercial facilities etc., but also takes responsibility for ensuring the training quality of these dogs so that facilities are not adversely affected by giving them access.
The service dog access law that was enacted in 2002 aims to protect the interest of both parties, those entering with service dogs and those allowing the entry.
This law applies only to three types of service dogs which is another aspect that may be unique to Japan. Legal access is given only to guide dogs, hearing dogs, and mobility service dogs. Under the Japanese law all other types of service dogs are not guaranteed access to public facilities. Needless to say, the law specifically refers to "service dogs" which means that no other species can be certified as service animals.
Because of the wide range of service animals now seen around the world, the Japanese situation has been a point of concern for those planning to visit the upcoming Olympic/Paralympic Games.
The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labor has stated that service dogs coming into the country may be issued a temporary certificate to allow access. It must be issued by a legitimate domestic service dog training organization. All service dog training organizations must be registered as a "Second Class Social Welfare Enterprise" with the regional government. If dogs are trained by non-registered organizations they will not be eligible for certification. The certification process is actually a public access test that is run by a testing committee consisting of human medical and welfare professionals, as well as animal training professionals, to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and social appropriateness of the human-dog pair. There are several institutions authorized by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labor to run the certification program. They are located in various parts of the country and include some human medical institutions.

A small island in the Seto Inland Sea in the western part of Japan located between the mainland, Honshu, and the island of Shikoku has been attracting the attention of tourists, including international ones. This island, Okuno-shima, is otherwise known as "Rabbit Island" and has become internationally famous due to photos and videos spread through social media. The island is inhabited by scores of feral rabbits and has become a large tourist attraction in recent years.
The origin of this large feral colony is somewhat hazy. No one knows for sure how these rabbits came to be on this particular island. There are several theories. For example, one is related to the original use of the island by the Japanese military during the Second World War. Okuno-shima was a military establishment that housed a laboratory dedicated to the development and manufacturing of poisonous gas. After the war the facility was decommissioned and abandoned. The rabbits that were kept as lab animals were let loose on the island and there they stayed, reproduced, and thrived without any human interference. There is another theory that states that the rabbits were originally school pets that were brought to and abandoned on the island by a school teacher. No one knows for sure what the truth is about these rabbits but they have occupied the island and there they are today.
The island is under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of the Environment and humans are not allowed to settle there. There is one hotel resort where visitors are allowed to stay, but there are no other buildings on the island, other than the museum, the tourist center and the ruins of the former military facility. Many of these ruins, including old factories, lab buildings, and even bunkers serve as convenient and sturdy shelters for rabbit colonies. No animals can be brought in. Thus, except for some raptors, the rabbits have no predators on the island. Wild boars that are capable of swimming fairly long distances are sometimes seen on the island but there seems to be little conflict between them and the rabbits.
Recently the island has been highlighted by some animal protection groups due to the poor condition of the rabbits. Videos on YouTube have shown rabbits with scars from injuries and those that seem malnourished. The scenes showing these "neglected rabbits" have caused many to speak up for authorities' intervention.
The Japan Animal Welfare Society (JAWS) has even received calls from foreign nationals that have seen those videos.

Plastic waste disposal has been a looming problem for each and every country. There is so much plastic now polluting our environment that life has indeed become hazardous to both people and animals. As many of us know, the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal of 1989 was revised on the 10th of May. The revision was to include a new rule concerning the export of "dirty plastic wastes", i.e. those plastics that have not been cleaned out and therefore unfit for recycling. The revised Convention states that exports of such wastes may not be conducted without prior agreement from the government of the importing nation. 180 nations have supported this revision and as a result of this new development, some countries have started to refuse imports of dirty plastic wastes from Japan.
But more important is the fact that the oceans of the world are now so polluted with micro-plastics that there is no effective way for humans to "clean up what they have sullied". It is estimated that no less than 100 million tons of micro-plastics are adrift on the seas. These particles are less than one millimeter in size, and these miniscule particles, often undetectable to the human eye, are consumed by many kinds of marine life. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States Department of Commerce have reported that these tiny particles are small enough for baby fish to consume. In terms of reproductive statistics in general for fish, of all the eggs that are laid by mature individuals, only 0.1 percent survive to reach adulthood. This means that the more micro-plastics invade the diets of baby fish, the more human beings will be faced with the diminishing of marine food resources.
What does this mean for Japan where a large number of traditional foods are based on marine resources? "Kaizuka", shell mounds, as they are known around the world are prehistoric dump sites where huge amounts of sea shells and fish bones have been found.
These mounds have been dated to be more than 10,000 years old, and attest to the fact that marine life has always been central to the Japanese diet. Japan is famous for the longevity of its population as well as for the extremely low percentage of obese people. This phenomenon is in fact partly due to the national diet which has been based on sea food rather than meat, though in recent years the per capita consumption of meat has surpassed that of fish. The northern people of the Japanese archipelago, the indigenous Ainu, consumed large amounts of salmon, utilizing every part of the fish. Even shoes were made of dried salmon skin. The southern people of Japan, on the Ryukyu Islands, ate large amounts of fried fish cakes known as "age-kama". The mainland people had a tradition of eating raw fish, which Japan is famous for even today.

More and more Japanese dog lovers are beginning to turn to smaller breeds as pets.
The toy breeds are increasing in number and the larger breeds are declining, as more people prefer to keep smaller dogs as pets. One factor contributing to this trend is the lack of space in this country. A large percentage of the population live in apartments in tight living quarters. As a result, smaller breeds such as toy poodles, Chihuahuas and miniature Dachshunds are becoming very popular as companion dogs. Needless to say, in terms of convenience or "ease of keeping", these small dogs would be the natural choice for many pet owners in this country. However, the popularity of, and the increase in numbers of smaller dogs has created issues on many fronts.
First of all, there are some owners of these dogs who feel that their dogs do not need to go outdoors. Their rationale would be that since the dogs are so small, running around inside their apartment gives them plenty of exercise and thus there is no need to walk them outside. This has been the cause of several issues, one of which is the lack of socialization of the dogs. Since Japan is a disaster prone country, pet owners must be prepared to evacuate with their animals. If and when a disaster strikes and the owner is forced to move out of the home and into an evacuation center, the dog would, of course, accompany him/her. But if this dog has never, or very rarely, seen and experienced the outside world, the evacuation process can be extremely stressful. The dog may not be able to cope with living in a strange place with a horde of strangers and their pets. There may be barking, whining, stress-related illnesses and more. In other words, many small breeds are kept under conditions where they are never allowed to learn the life skills that will enable them to lead a stable life.
Another and more important issue related to the "indoor life" of these small dogs is the owner's lack of understanding concerning the true meaning of the nation's dog registration system. Dog owners in Japan must register their dogs with the local authority under the Rabies Prevention Act. Each year the registration must be renewed.
Owners must receive a new dog tag in exchange for a rabies vaccination certificate each year. This system ensures that Japan stays a rabies free region. However there are currently some owners of small house-bound dogs who insist that registration and likewise, vaccination is unnecessary for their dogs because "they do not go outside". Though legally mandatory, the registration rate of dogs is far from reaching the 100 percent mark. This can be very dangerous for the entire nation, as it is known that should rabies enter the region, the vaccination rate of dogs in said region is the major factor in either the prevention or proliferation of the disease.

Japan withdrawing from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) was one of the latest news items concerning animals that drew global interest.　It is interesting to note that this was not a topic of deep interest to many Japanese citizens. Why? Simply because the Japanese whaling industry is a dying industry that does not affect the lives of very many people and most domestic consumers are not terribly interested in the consumption of whale meat. Unfortunately the views of those outside of Japan do not reflect such facts. To the outside world, the Japanese people favor whale meat and are interested in preserving the cultural aspect of whaling. For a majority of the Japanese people, whale meat is not considered a crucial part of the Japanese traditional diet. It was widely used in the immediate postwar era as a useful and readily available source of protein. As such, it appeared in school lunches as well. Many middle aged citizens remember the days when whale meat appeared regularly in public school lunches. These memories for some are not very mouth-watering. They remember tough meat and fishy odors. Needless to say, there are gourmets who savor special parts of the whale as delicacies, but these do not constitute the majority.
So why is the country so aggressively protective of whaling? The answer is most likely a political one. The leading political parties are influenced largely by local conservative interests in various regions. This means that "traditional items" cannot be dropped from their agendas. At the same time, it seems as though the Japanese government (and other politicians as well) cannot "back down" even though national consumption of whale meat products has gone down drastically. "Iji" is a Japanese word that is hard to translate into the English language. Loosely translated, the word means ego, but is actually much more than that. It can also mean spine or backbone, not anatomically but rather, mentally. In other words the Japanese government is leaving the IWC in order to show that they are not spineless. The whaling issue has indeed become a battle of egos.
However there is another whaling issue concerning Japan that surfaced several years ago.
This is the issue of the dolphin drive hunts in Wakayama.
Every year from September to March the dolphin drive hunts are conducted in a certain area in Wakayama Prefecture. Each year more than a 1000 dolphins are captured or killed in these drive hunts. The dolphins are killed for meat but at the same time many are sold to aquariums around the world for an immense profit. The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) has prohibited its members from buying dolphins from drive hunts that are considered both cruel and unnecessary. The Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums had been warned by the WAZA that some of their member facilities were indeed buying dolphins from these drive hunts. JAZA chose to ignore these warnings for quite some time, until WAZA decided to suspend their membership until they resolved this problem. After much debate, JAZA finally decided to enforce the WAZA rules and tell all their member organizations that they would no longer be able to buy dolphins from the drive hunts. This enabled JAZA to retain their membership in the world organization, but at the expense of losing several members who decided to give up their membership in JAZA so that they would still be able to buy dolphins.
The dolphin drive hunt in Wakayama was made into a documentary film and went on to receive the documentary film award at the Oscars. The documentary entitled The Cove caused a worldwide sensation, and the fishing village connected to these dolphin hunts became the focus of animal welfare activists and environmentalists. However, the Japanese news media did not go on to elaborate on the facts shown in the film, but went on to say that the film itself was too one-sided and did not respect Japanese culture, not to mention the fact that very few Japanese nationals were even aware of these hunts and that most of them have never even tasted dolphin meat.
So, whales and the Japanese people, where do we go from here? Nowhere. Until the Japanese public is made aware of the fact that they are perceived as "whale consumers and dolphin killers" outside of their national border nothing will happen. Until this happens and the Japanese public is educated enough to understand what is going on, the whale issue will not be resolved. At least for now JAZA has chosen to remain a member of the international community. This is a step forward in the right direction, but for the time being, that is all that is going to happen. Some say that a large number of the cetacean species in Japanese coastal waters will never attain sustainable levels. But withdrawal from the IWC means that Japanese whalers will have to return to their coastal hunting grounds. Do the Japanese people have to worry about this? Yes, by all means, yes.

Facilities where visitors can interact with various animals are becoming more and more popular in Japan. Needless to say, petting zoos have always been a large attraction for children and adults, but the ordinary petting zoo with guinea pigs and rabbits is now evolving into something much more exotic, and at times, unbelievable.
Cat cafes are a phenomenon that started in this country, but it has now spread to other parts of the world. There are cat cafes in various cities in both the U.S. and the EU. Cat cafes are places where people can relax whilst interacting with cats that are kept on the premises. They have been quite popular in Japan, perhaps due to the fact that many people are unable to keep pets because of a busy work life or because of housing restrictions. Pet shops in Japan are not allowed to operate after certain hours under the animal protection law in order to prevent the over-stressing of animals, but cat cafes are given a certain leeway. They are allowed to operate for a few more hours at night to accommodate those visitors who arrive after work to enjoy a few hours of "de-stressing" with the cats.
So far so good. Well, the newer developments in visitor-animal interactions is not all about cat cafes. There have been a "blossoming" of various animal cafes, including hedgehog cafes, raptor cafes, owl cafes, and more! This has become a serious issue with many animal protection organizations that have spoken up against these entities. But it seems as though the public never hear these voices. These exotic cafes are perpetually full of "fun-loving" people including tourists from other nations. It is incredible that anyone would think of parading a nocturnal animal like the owl in broad daylight and having multitudes of people gawking at them. The hedgehog café that has now become widely known is located in Harajuku. This locality is known for its fancy shops and pop culture, and is popular with both adults and youngsters alike. Many people travel from afar to come to Harajuku these days, not only for the culture, but also to experience the "tantalizing hedgehog café"! The Japanese word "kawaii" is now known to many people around the world. The word literally means "cute". Japan is at the top of the cute phenomenon, where everything and anything "cute" goes. In that regard, hedgehogs are the ultimate kawaii creature. It is no wonder that the café where one is allowed to hold them in your hands is so popular.
But the ever spreading phenomenon does not stop here. There is a petting zoo in the Yokohama area that allows visitors to have a truly close up experience with capibaras. The creatures are not fenced in, nor are their movements restricted in any way. Though these creatures are gentle in nature, they are wild animals and can be unpredictable in their behavior. Visitors passing through the facility casually pet these capibaras as though they were dogs or cats in their living room. Risk control seems not to be an important factor here. This facility also houses an armadillo and a meerkat, fenced in by a low acrylic fence that allows visitors to reach in and touch them. Here again the concept of risk control seem to be irrelevant.

As with other developed economies around the world, Japan is now facing the issue of an aging population. In relation to animals, there are currently two currents of thought regarding pet keeping by the senior population. One of the two, is the idea that pets are "good" for old people. Many people have come across literature citing the benefits of animals on human health. And in the world of an aging population there are many experts who are focusing on the health benefits of pet keeping for the elderly. Needless to say, the thought itself cannot be denied. Pets are a wonderful stimulus both mentally and physically, they give companionship where necessary, and they can become objects of the human nurturing instinct in place of the children that have, many years ago, left home. The animals give the elderly a purpose in life, a reason to get up in the morning, and to leave the indoors, for walking, for the procurement of necessary supplies.
So, society on the one hand is all for the keeping of pets by senior citizens.
However, we must take a look at the other side of the coin, the second current of thought, or better stated, the reality behind all this. Though there are many positive things to be said about the effects of pet keeping by the elderly, in reality, things are not so easy, especially here in Japan.
There are many factors that contribute to this issue. Obviously, one that is probably common in other cultures as well, would be the issue of financial means. For many people with age comes the loss of income as they retire from their jobs. Living on a pension is limiting in many ways. Needless to say, keeping an animal is not cheap. Basic supplies, veterinary care, and other expenses will tax a small household budget. The other common issue is that of the physical ability to care for an animal. With seniority comes fragility and the loss of motor skills. This means that caring for pets becomes very difficult. At the same time there is the worry of one's own health. What will I do with the pet if I am hospitalized? Or even worse, what will happen to the animal if I must enter a care facility?
One thing which may be unique to Japan is the fact that many public animal adoption centers run by the regional governments have an upper age limit for new owners. This age may differ slightly between local governments but what this means is that if you are over 65, 70 etc. years of age, then you are disqualified from adopting an animal from the shelter. Many private shelters also have set such limits. This means that for older people adopting animals from shelters is not an option. Thus, the only way for those who are aged and indeed desperate to obtain a pet may be buying a puppy or a kitten from a pet shop. But for older people who feel that they do not have as many years ahead of them as the younger generation may, getting a puppy which will most likely need a home for the next 10 to 15 years is quite a burden in itself. There being very few assisted living facilities and care homes that allow their clients to move in with their pets, which may be too heavy a burden, when thinking of the future of both the animals and their owners. This will most certainly deter elderly people from making a positive decision.

Japanese breeds are becoming increasingly popular amongst dog lovers the world over. They are certainly beautiful in appearance and unique in character. Most Japanese breeds originated as hunting dogs, helping their owners who were called "matagi", a special name for the professional hunters of lore. Perhaps the most interesting fact about these breeds is their closeness to their wild cousins, the wolves. With the exception of a few, such as the Japanese Chin, a toy breed, most of the Japanese breeds are quite similar in appearance, They are short coated, have the typical spitz shape pricked ears and a tail that curls over their back. The Chin and the Tosa fighting dog are brachycephalic but the other hunting breeds all have long snouts, though with somewhat of a variation. It is interesting to note that these dogs are all named after the region of their origin. Though this is not a unique phenomenon in breed names, these Japanese breeds all started out as village dogs of specific regions. Compared to their western counterparts, these Japanese hunting dogs, like the Shiba, Akita, Kishu, Kai etc.,were never bred for a certain physical trait or function. In modern times, breed standards have certainly been written and thus size, coloring etc. have now been set forth for each of the breeds. However, traditionally these breeds were never "manipulated" to emphasize certain traits. The long body of the Dachshund suited for going down into nest holes, the small compact body of the "rat -killers" like the Jack Russell and Yorkshire terriers, these were all traits picked out and emphasized by man to be more effective in their field of work. The Japanese dogs were what could be called "village dogs". The Japanese hunting breeds were left in their natural form without excessive human interference and as a result the basic physical traits remained more or less the same. The major differences seen over time were those that were emphasized through breeding only within the local stock. Thus the dogs living in Akita gradually evolved into a physical appearance a little different from the dogs breeding, for example, in the Kai region. There is also a large variation in size ranging from the large Akita and Kishu types that stand around 70 cm at the withers to the smaller Shiba Inu at about 40 cm.
The Tosa dog is to be differentiated from the Tosa fighting dog, the large mastiff type dogs used for dog fighting. The Tosa dog frequently referred to as the Shikoku dog, another "regional name", is again of the same body type as the other Japanese hunting dogs. Many of these breeds go back almost 1000 years and have been designated as natural monuments by the government. The aforementioned Tosa dog was designated as such in 1937. The Kai dogs bred in the mountainous region of Koshu, the present day Yamanashi Prefecture, was designated as a natural monument earlier in 1934. The Akita currently gaining popularity around the world became a natural monument in1931. The Hokkaido dog, another natural monument, frequently referred to as the Ainu dog was a valuable companion for the Ainu, the indigenous people of northern Japan. They were fierce hunting dogs used to hunt bears and Ezo deer. The Hokkaido dogs became famous in 1900 when they participated in the search and rescue efforts for the troops of the Imperial Japanese Army lost in the snowy mountains of Hakkoda in Aomori Prefecture. The Shiba Inu, perhaps the most famous of the Japanese breeds is said to be as old as the country itself. Similar to the Pariah dogs that are seen in wide areas of Southeast Asia including the Philippines. Perhaps they too are of southern origin. There are references to these dogs in ancient Japanese poetry.

Animal assisted therapy, animal assisted activities, animal therapy...whatever you want to call it is becoming a popular phenomenon worldwide. Needless to say, those involved in the field on a "serious level" know that animal assisted therapy and animal assisted activity are the words being used to describe the participation of animals in human health care, currently being grouped under what is known as animal assisted interactions. However, many people like to put their own twist on things, whatever the subject matter. People simply want to be unique. People want to stand out as the "one and only". So in this field we hear word like pet therapy, dog therapy etc.etc. Japan is no exception to this worldwide trend in bringing animals into the human health care scene. Though there are still many institutions that do not care to have animal brought in to meet their patients, many others are beginning to start programs without making use of the basic foundational skills and knowledge that is available, has been available for the last two decades. Recently two very large institutions made public their plans to incorporate animals into human care programs. One of them is Saga University located in Saga prefecture on the southern island of Kyushu. The Department of Agriculture at the university has opened a center for what they term "creative-agri education"(translated into English by your truly and not the official English name). The main objective of this center is to start an animal therapy project using farm animal such as cows and pigs for human health care, human welfare, and education. The concept is to bring these animals traditionally regarded as food or property into contact with human beings to promote emotional stability and to improve the QOL of human beings. This project is the center of the university's new Agri-Medical division (and this does not mean veterinary medical activities practiced on large animals and food animals). Though the press release from the center uses phrases such as animal therapy for learning disabilities, dementia, and interactions between farm animals and human beings, there is no mention of baseline risk control, welfare of the farm animals that will be used (which as we all know is really the key to the therapeutic effects an animal may or may not have), and programs/studies that have preceded this endeavor . Needless to say the Green Care Farming movement in Europe, the equine assisted programs that have gained attention in recent years (different from hippotherapy in that they focus more on the horse care aspect rather that the riding) have not been mentioned by those starting the Saga program. It is truly amazing how many people who start to involve themselves in the field of human animal interactions try to reinvent the wheel. And this is not a phenomenon unique to Japan. The faculty of the university who are given the responsibility of nurturing this program have no background whatsoever in any sort of animal assisted programs. Nor have they been educated in the basic foundation work concerning bringing animals into contact with clients so meticulously created over many years by leaders in this field such as the U.S. based Pet Partners. Using farm animals is NOT a unique endeavor. Farm animals need to be evaluated for program participation just like dogs and cats. These are simple facts that anyone in the field would know. There are also medical facilities in the country that are talking about "facility dogs" as opposed to therapy dogs. They stated that "facility dogs" are different from "visiting dogs" that volunteer handlers bring in, in that these dogs undergo a year of "special training" and are then brought to live in the facility. The most puzzling thing about the press releases coming out from such facilities is the fact that there is no mention of the dog's welfare. Where do these dogs live? Who will be responsible for being the dog's advocate? These questions remain unanswered. As mentioned earlier this is probably not a phenomenon unique to Japan, but the disturbing trend is definitely being seen here.

Some figures about pet keeping in Japan have been published for the year 2012. According to the Pet Food Institute of Japan, of all the households in the country, 24.9%live with either a cat(s) or a dog(s). This is one out of every 4 households and speaks of the popularity of pet keeping in Japan. Since the statistics do not include small pets such as hamsters, rabbits , birds etc., it may be said that the number of households that live with animals is even larger. Statistics from earlier years have also been mentioned in this column but for 2012 the estimated number of pet dogs in the country is 11,530,000. The number of cats is 9,750,000. Needless to say these are simply estimates mainly derived from statistics pertaining to the consumption of pet food, but nevertheless they give us an idea of the scope of pet keeping in Japan. The pet food industry also published figures concerning the amount of money households spend on feeding their companion animals. For dogs the average monthly expenditure for one animal is approximately 7500 yen, which at current rates is about 67-68 US dollars. This monthly expenditure includes food and other supplies as well as veterinary fees. For cats the individual monthly expenditure is slightly lower at approximately 5300yen, about 47-48 US dollars. In the current economic climate these figures are far from "minimal". When one considers the fact that many households own multiple pets the amount of money spent on pets in the country as a whole reaches staggering heights. A decade ago when people were asked to describe their pets, many used the word "child". This sense of "guardianship" is changing slightly in recent times. Many pet owners now do not hesitate to state that their pet is an integral member of the family, not simply a "child" figure to be petted and protected. Some will use the word "son" or "daughter" instead of child. Some will simply say a "member of the family". The relative position of the companion animal in the household is gradually changing into something more important and meaningful. It need not be said that this is not a phenomenon that is unique to Japan. The importance of the companion animal to the human family is a topic that is currently being discussed in many circles the world over. But at the same time we are beginning to see the negative side as well of this phenomenon. Just as with children, for example, there are many "parents" who become obsessed with the well being of their animals. Obedience classes, designer clothes, luxury foods and more are appearing constantly on the market. And just as with children, some animals become an extension of the owner's ego. Many foreigners who come to Japan for the first time are surprised at the amount of dog clothes sold in pet stores. The Japanese tend to overdress their pooches. Of course the fact that there are more smaller toy breeds than large dogs makes this much easier. People are also surprised by the number of pooches they meet out in the street out for a stroll in their "prams"......yes baby carriages made exclusively for the transport of pets. The riders are not all geriatric or disabled. Sometimes our love goes a bit beyond what may be termed "normal". Is this good or bad?
Well...what do you think?

Following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami Tokyo metropolitan government set up a temporary animal shelter on the grounds of its animal control center in order to take in animals evacuating with their owners into the metropolitan area on a temporary basis. The shelter was set up in the early fall of 2011. The government of Tokyo set forth an emergency operational plan of one year to help out with owners unable to find housing where pets would be allowed as well as to take in animals rescued from the danger zone around the nuclear plant in Fukushima. This shelter was built through the coordinated efforts of the Tokyo metropolitan government and the Tokyo regional emergency animal rescue headquarters for the victims of the east Japan earthquake. The facility was built by the metropolitan government and the operation was placed under the aforementioned "headquarters", a cooperative unit formed by a coalition of veterinarians and animal charities. The operational funding came mainly from public donations given for animal rescue purposes. The number of animals taken into this facility was not huge owing to the fact that many members of the Tokyo veterinary community as well as those from surrounding areas such as Yokohama, were willing to take in individual animals into their clinic facilities for temporary care. The total number of animals housed in the shelter were 24 dogs and 12 cats. Of these animals , 10 of the dogs and 4 of the cats were able to rejoin their families before the closing of the shelter in September 2012. The rest were all happily rehomed with the exception of one dog who is still with a foster family. Though small in scale this shelter was infact a good model facililty in terms of its standard of animal care. There were more than 600 volunteers that participated in the endeavor which enabled the shelter staff to set up a system where the animals were never short of attention. Though the facility was built by the authorities, the internal details including the setting up of play areas, adjustments to meet the individual needs of each animal etc., were all done by hand. The volunteers wielded tools to create an environment that catered to the needs of the animals under their care. The shelter, as mentioned earlier, was a one year project and was closed on September 30, 2012. The Japan Animal Welfare Society, JAWS, played a leadership role in the operation of this shelter and is to be applauded for a job well done. Needless to say, though, Fukushima is still struggling to deal with the animal victims of the disaster. The feral cats in the nuclear evacuation zone are numerous and an effective TSNR must be implemented. With the passing of time people are beginning to forget the scale of the disaster but the fight continues both for people and for the animals.

Recent statistics show that Japan is the third largest market in the world for wild animals. Despite being a very small country in terms of its physical size, there are an amazingly large number of exotic pets being kept by animal fanciers. One famous case that surprised the media and shocked the entire nation was that of a man who kept more than 50 poisonous snakes in his apartment in the middle of Tokyo. This man was bitten by his green manba while he was caring for the snake. He called for an ambulance and the paramedics found his abode filled with a hoard of dangerous creatures. Though he was in critical condition for some time this man did live thanks to the efforts of a very knowledgeable doctor only to be arrested for violating the animal welfare law upon recovery. He was arrested for keeping "specified animals" without a permit. The category of "specified animal" is defined in the law and species listed therein cannot be kept without registering with the local authorities. This man's arrest lead to the arrest of another party, the business that sold him these dangerous animals. The pet shop that had sold these animals to this individual was also arrested for the keeping of "specified animals" without a permit. The business owner was also arrested for the violation of the law governing the handling of invasive alien species. For those wishing to keep these animals that need to be registered with the authorities, the procedure is actually not very prohibitive. There are specifications that must be met in terms of cage space, safety devices etc. However many keepers of exotic pets choose not to register, as was the case with the aforementioned unfortunate owner of the 50 some snakes. There is no regular policing as such and often times people will get away with keeping these animals without the alerting the authorities. Needless to say, businesses will sell if people are willing to pay and thus pet shops that handle exotic animals will continue to thrive. In terms of legal restrictions, the Japanese law if still lax in many respects. For example, there is no national license to become a falconer. This means that a layman may keep and train his/he own falcon provided the keeper registers the bird with the local authorities (which may or may not be done). This is dangerous to the keeper, the bird, and also to the public. But the legal tools to regulate such a situation is extremely limited. What would be ideal is to put a legal ban on the importation of wildlife for commercial purposes. Importation of such should be allowed only in cases where there is official screening and approval of the species as well as the purpose of bringing in such and animal. There should be a white list of what can be kept rather than a black list of what needs to be registered as is the case with the current law. There are cases currently where fanciers have bred hybrids of the animals specified under the law to be registered. Legally speaking these hybrids are not listed as specified animals and therefore do not need to be registered however large and/or dangerous they may be. This is simply ludicrous. Though Japan is not the only country in the world with the exotic pet problem, a solution must be found to this issue. How far will businesses and fanciers go? How much are they willing to fight to keep their current situation? We will not know until we attempt to put in place a better and more effective legislation. The sooner the better....