On June 10, 2026, the Animal Rights Center submitted a petition to the Tokyo Shibaura Meat Market requesting the installation of permanent drinking water facilities in pig lairages.
In this petition, the voices of 32,061 individuals collected through an online signature campaign were submitted to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and the necessity of providing an environment where pigs can drink water at all times in the lairages where they stay before slaughter was explained.
Contents of the Petition
The Animal Rights Center provided explanations regarding:
- Basic concepts of animal welfare
- Domestic and international trends surrounding animal welfare
- Reasons why permanent drinking water facilities are necessary in pig lairages
- Specific improvement proposals for installation
The Center requested that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government establish an environment where pigs can drink water whenever necessary.
Response from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government provided an explanation of the current market operations. Furthermore,
“We are not opposed to the installation of drinking water facilities itself,”
was the stated position. While acknowledging structural challenges in the lairage facilities, they showed a willingness to consider the possibility of improvements.
Additionally, they shared their intention to proceed with discussions with relevant business operators while taking animal welfare perspectives into account.
Points Confirmed During the Meeting
During this meeting, a common understanding was reached on the following points:
- There are currently no permanent drinking water facilities in the pig lairages.
- There is room for improvement regarding the drinking water environment for pigs.
- Specific improvement measures will be considered, including the installation of permanent drinking water facilities.
- The Animal Rights Center will cooperate in considering improvement plans and work together with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
- The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will proceed with discussions and information gathering with necessary stakeholders.
Furthermore, the officials from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government expressed a positive stance toward securing the budget necessary for facility improvements.
Moving Forward
This petition was made possible through the cooperation of Animal Rights Center volunteers and the voices gathered through the online signature campaign.
On the other hand, the installation of permanent drinking water facilities involves challenges related to facility conditions and operations, requiring continued specific consideration for realization.
The Animal Rights Center will continue its dialogue with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and relevant stakeholders, and will keep making constructive proposals and efforts toward realizing an environment where pigs can always drink water.
