*The current animal protection and control laws in Japan.

In December 1999, The House of Council, Ministry of Environment and House of Representatives of Ministry adopted new laws for animal protection and control. It has been 26 years since the law passed the first time. (Law #05, October 1, 1973 revised December 22,1999)

-Purpose of the laws-

1.) The laws bring about a spirit of care for the animals. The laws educate to respect other living things, friendship, provide peace to all citizens and animals by obtaining matters to prevent animal cruelty. The laws also provide proper care for the animals and animal welfare. We also established laws to protect from infringement of properties, bodies and life of human by animals.

-Basic rules-

2.) You shall not cause unnecessary suffering, cruelty, or death to animals in view of respect to other living creatures.
You must provide proper care of animals, live together with considerations and knowledge of their habitat.

In reality, they still consider animals as a ‘thing’; we see a great deal of animal cruelty. Some of the cases were placed under ‘property damage’ laws instead of the current animal protection laws because the penalty is heavier. Which is the more serious crime, breaking something or killing a life? Even a child would know the answer to this question.
A life is more important than a thing.

There are so many fields that humans are involved with animals such as companion animals, farm animals, entertainment and scientific testing. We have responsibilities to protect those animals from unnecessary suffering, cruelty and death. That’s why we have this new law.

Unfortunately, the laws are not working effectively even though they recently revised it. The only laws to protect animals in Japan don’t have immediate impact on the animals at all when you compare them to the other countries animal protection laws.

For instance, the criminal who killed ‘ Kogenta’ would be released without any penalties if there were no petitions or action from citizens such as a web site like ‘ Dear Kogenta’.

We strongly believe that we need to change the laws as soon as possible to make it more effective. We must stop the trend that animals who can’t speak for themselves have to live with the pain and suffering caused by humans. We advocate changing this system to protect and save more animals that are being abused, neglected and abandoned. Make this country a peaceful place to live for every creature. Make the penalties stronger in order to prevent animal cruelty.

You might think this is not your concern because there are similar problems in your country. Honestly, it is difficult to change the laws by only public opinion in Japan. We need more support and voices from countries with progressive views on animal rights in order to change the animal rights in Japan. Your opinions and signatures can be very powerful and influential in our country.

Please, help us make a difference for those who can’t speak for themselves.


*Revise the current animal protection laws in Japan

1.) Fully describe definitions of cruelties.

2.) Revise the penalties as following.

a.) Maximums 3 years imprisonment and/or 500,000.00 yen fine for the aggravated animal cruelty- animal fighting; knowingly inflicting severe physical pain, suffering, or prolonged suffering; mutilation or killing; knowingly administers poisonous or noxious drugs; knowingly or with criminal negligence overdrives, overloads, overworks, tortures, or torments animal.
b.) Maximum 1-year imprisonment and/or 100,000.00 yen fine for criminals who fail to provide proper food, drink and shelter, carries or confines in a cruel or reckless manner or abandons animals.
c.) Provide all expenses to care for the protected animals by those who committed crimes.
d.) Require psychotherapy and/or counseling for criminals who abused animals.
e.) Give a punishment to those who encourage animal abuse.
f.) Suspend the business when/if the animal dealer viciously violate the laws.
g.) Establish punishment for those who run the business without license.
h.) Prohibit owning and/or dealing with animals for a certain amount of time for those who committed crimes.

3.) Hire employees who can be in charged of animal welfare and protection in every district of public bodies and give them the right and responsibility to protect animals. Follow ‘ the animal police’ in England as an example.

4.) Provide animal shelters in every district of public bodies to protect injured, abused, neglected, abandoned animals and provide service of adoption, lost and found and owner surrenders to the public, and encourage citizens to adopt animals from shelters.

5.) Oblige pet owners and animal handlers to take educational classes for animals.

6.) Establish programs of animal welfare and a class about respect for life in compulsory education.

7.) Change the system to permission from report system in order to operate a business dealing with animals, and permit the only the licensed person to run the business.

a.) Establish the range of business that deals with animals including all the institutions.
b.) Establish the regulations involved with handling and / or dealing animals to prevent animal cruelties depending on the institutions.

8.) Form a license system to sell and/or breed animals, and those who violate the regulations must be punished and deprived of their license.

a.) The restrictions and/or the way of breeding animals must be established under the definition of cruelty laws.

9.) Establish the counter measures of animals against disasters.