アニマルウェルフェア補助金を求める署名23,103筆を関連省庁に提出

2024年11月19日に、串田誠一参議院議員にご同行いただき、アニマルライツセンター代表岡田、アニマルウェルフェア補助金獲得ボランティアチーム2名にて、皆さまから頂きました署名【日本の畜産動物の苦しみを減らすための補助金を国に求めます】23,103筆と陳情書を、環境省、農林水産省、厚生労働省に提出致しました。 各省庁と、日本のアニマルウェルフェアの低さ(特に畜産動物)と向上の必要性について陳情する有意義な時間を持つことができました。まず、日本の畜産動物保護レベルが世界最低ランクである理由として、法規制の弱さ、消費者など社会の意識の低さ、アニマルウェルフェア対応の設備費が現在はすべて農家負担であることを挙げ、設備費対策としてアニマルウェルフェア向上のための補助金制度の必要性を説明しました。畜産動物は感情を持ち、喜びも苦しみも感じる生き物であり、せめて生きている間の苦しみを軽減してあげたいという想い、しかし個人や民間団体の力だけでは限界を感じていることを述べました。 岡田からは、世界から見て最低レベルである日本のアニマルウェルフェアを向上させるためには、「畜産動物の飼育環境、設備を改善していくために関わる費用」、「動物たちに外科的処置をする際に痛みを減らす為の費用」、「と畜の際に動物たちを苦しめない為の設備等」、「アニマルフェアに対応した際の収益減の補填」のために、国からアニマルウェルフェアに関わる補助金を出すことが不可欠であることを説明いたしました。 また、厚生労働省、農林水産省、環境省それぞれの役割について言及し、この問題は国だけ、生産者だけ、消費者だけと単体の問題ではなく、それぞれ全てが問題意識を共有し改善、向上に向けて動かなくては解決しない問題であると伝え、各々が協力し合うことが必要だと再認識する場となりました。 一方で、飼育は農水省、と畜は厚労省など、畜産物の生産工程によって管轄省庁が分かれているため、担当の所在が不明瞭な工程があり、縦割り行政により抜け落ちてしまう部分が垣間見られました。ぜひとも省庁を超えた高い視座での課題解決を望みます。 串田議員からはアニマルウェルフェアを国の重要課題として位置づけ、世界へ日本もアニマルウェルフェアへ取り組んでいるという姿勢を見せるためにも、アニマルウェルフェアについて農水大臣の所信表明に盛り込むよう強く要請していただきました。 畜産動物たちを苦しみから救う為には補助金だけでなく動物愛護法の見直しも同時進行で進めていかなくてはなりません。そもそも動物に権利を与えるかどうかなどと人間が議論すること自体がおこがましいことであり、もともとある動物の権利を人間が無いものとしてしまっていることに気付かなくてはならないのではと思いました。 今回の陳情、署名提出が、その始まりの1歩となるよう強く願います。 改めて、署名にご協力をくださった皆様に心から感謝申し上げます。

ARC×PEACE主催:名古屋出張セミナー【動物愛護法改正を知ろう】

12月15日(日)10時15分から12時の1時間45分、名古屋の伏見駅すぐのレンタルスペースで、名古屋出張セミナーを開催します。講師はアニマルライツセンター代表の岡田と、そしてPEACE 命の搾取ではなく尊厳を 代表の東さちこ氏です。現在進行中、そして来年改正が行われる予定の動物愛護法の改正の内容、問題、そして状況のシェアをします。 とても1時間半では足りなそうな濃い内容になりそうですが、同日13時からはすぐ近くの白川公園集合で、畜産動物や実験動物、展示動物たちのための動物愛護法改正を求めるデモ行進があり、そちらに合流します。 日時:2024年12月15日(日)10時15分(10時00分開場)~12時 場所:愛知県名古屋市中区栄2-9-9アンアザレアビル6階名古屋市営地下鉄東山線 伏見駅 徒歩5分こちらのレンタルスペース(スタジオフィックス名古屋栄伏見店 6A)です。 プログラム:挨拶動物愛護法 現在の不備実験動物・畜産動物・展示動物・輸送あなたにできること質疑応答 https://forms.gle/TygJLwqxWs6SKEVU6 読み込んでいます… 全ての動物には生きる権利がある。動物愛護法改正で彼らを守ろう!VEGAN IS LOVE パレード 2024 NAGOYA(デモ行進) 動物のために法律変えたいと思う方、どなたでもご参加いただけます。詳細はこちらから! 【日時】2024年 12月15日 (日) 13時集合(14時出発)雨天決行(台風並みの暴風雨は中止)【集合場所】愛知県名古屋市中区栄2丁目16−17「白川公園」南東 出入り口付近

Animal Welfare Laws Don’t Really Exist in Japan: Livestock Animal Welfare is Among the Lowest in the World

Globally, Japan is significantly behind in two key areas of livestock farming: the density of bird species, such as chickens and ducks, and the methods of slaughter. The welfare of livestock animals in Japan has completely fallen behind international standards, and the reason is simply because there are no proper laws. This article will explain the differences in stocking density. | Crammed Far More Densely Than the Rest of the World To put it simply, both Japan’s egg-laying chickens and meat chickens are crammed in over 1.7 times more densely than in other countries. While many countries have regulations on the minimum space required for animal farming, Japan has none.…

Will Animal Testing for Cosmetics Be Banned in Japan?

On September 3rd, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Animal Welfare convened to discuss animal testing in cosmetics, including quasi-drugs, in Japan.  Globally, many countries are enacting laws to ban animal testing for cosmetics. In contrast, Japan has left the decision to the voluntary efforts of companies, creating an uneven playing field and allowing businesses with low awareness to continue unnecessary animal sacrifices.  Major cosmetic companies like Shiseido and Kao have already eliminated animal testing and are leading the industry, demonstrating that a legal ban would not hinder product development.  To that end, the All-Party Parliamentary Group has begun discussions among parliament members about instituting a ban on animal testing for…

Changed by the Voices of Citizens! Corporate Animal Welfare Today

In 2018, it was unimaginable for a company to prioritize animal welfare in its procurement policies. No such policies existed at the time, and the idea of a company publicly acknowledging it as a key issue seemed far-fetched. Fast forward to today, and many major food-related companies have adopted some form of animal welfare procurement policy. When we engage with companies that have yet to make public statements on this issue, we often highlight that they are falling behind their peers in Japan. The significant progress we’ve witnessed is a testament to our efforts in collaborating with businesses, financial institutions, and government entities, as well as the growing advocacy from…

Free-Range Certification Introduced for Osaka Expo for the First Time

The Osaka Kansai Expo Association has announced its recognition of the free-range egg certification from the Eco-Design Certification Center as an approved certification scheme. This means it has been recognized as meeting the association’s stringent procurement standards. However, in practice, the Expo’s procurement guidelines only require the same level of animal welfare as the Tokyo Olympics. As with the Tokyo Games, obtaining JGAP certification is considered sufficient, but the level of animal welfare mandated by JGAP remains relatively low. While the inclusion of free-range egg certification is a positive step, it’s unlikely that a significant portion of the Expo’s procurement will rely on free-range eggs. Nevertheless, the recognition that “free-range…

Request for Government Subsidies to Reduce the Suffering of Livestock in Japan – Support the Petition! –

Globally, Japan’s livestock protection index is ranked at the lowest level. Japanese companies are rated at the lowest level in the BBFAW (Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare) for animal welfare, making investment in them high-risk. This lag is not just affecting livestock farmers but is also negatively impacting the Japanese food companies in the future. How can we catch up?  Facing harsh realities In the summer of 2023, we investigated the proportion of laying hens raised in free-range systems. We discovered that only 1.11% (currently 1.12%) of them are free-range in Japan. At this rate, animals in Japan will continue to suffer for the next 10, 20, or 50…

Last Chance Rescue: Saving 8 Pigs from Slaughter
Left behind at a pig farm on the brink of closure, We want to save the last 8 pigs from the fate of slaughter. We want to give these pigs a chance to live! We are rescuing 8 large farm pigs from the pig farm. We need new land, a house, fencing, transportation, food, care and everything. Please lend us your support. Please donate for the pigs. This project started in March 2024, and we are currently working at a fast pace to prepare. Although we haven't been able to share all the details yet, we are working as quickly as possible to free the pigs from their concrete pens.…
Urgent Report: The Rescued Pigs’ Journey and the Price They Paid

On May 19th and 20th, we went to a pig farm that was closing down to rescue eight pigs who had been left behind and were scheduled for slaughter. We planned to picked up two pigs for long-distance transport on the night of the 19th and transport the remaining six pigs from early morning on the 20th to finish before it get hot. The destination for these pigs is split between three locations: two pigs will go to the “Ehime Sanctuary (tentative name),” four pigs will go to the “Future Cottage for Animals,” and the remaining two pigs will go to the “Future Home for Animals.” These three locations together…

Baking with Care: MIHOPAN’s Pledge to Use Only Cage-Free Eggs

MIHOPAN, a sincere bakery in Higashi-Osaka City that has consistently provided bread made with carefully selected ingredients, has recently pledged to only use cage-free eggs moving forward, showing their support for the cage-free movement. The owner, Miho, became increasingly aware of the poor treatment of animals in Japan, especially those used for ingredients in her bread, such as domestic butter, eggs, and meat. As she delved deeper into the issue, she realized she could no longer continue using these products under the same conditions. Since then, she has been committed to selecting ingredients that consider animal welfare. MIHOPAN has already transitioned to using only cage-free eggs. Additionally, the menu items…

Please End Animal Use: Itoman Harly Duck Catching Competition

Animal Rights Center has been accusing the organizers of the Itoman Harley Duck Catching Competition of violating the Animal Welfare Act, but unfortunately, they were not prosecuted. However, the fact that they were not prosecuted does not mean that this act is not animal abuse. It clearly falls under the definition of animal abuse as defined by the Ministry of the Environment. Throwing ducks into the sea, where they have never swum before, and chasing them is inherently cruel. According to an article in the Ryukyu Shimpo, the Itoman History and Culture Research Institute’s Mr. Kinjyo states that duck catching competitions are not traditional or ritualistic. He mentions that before…

From Farm to Table: More Soup and Mendoriya Support Cage-Free Eggs

Two stores, “More Soup” in Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture, and “Mendoriya” in Miyakonojo City, Miyazaki Prefecture, responded to inquiries from the Animal Rights Center, stating that they currently only use cage-free eggs and will never use caged eggs, thereby expressing their commitment to cage-free. 【More Soup】 More Soup is a café run by a farmer couple that offers dishes centered on organic vegetables. They serve pudding made with cage-free eggs. Koujizawa from More Soup is also the owner of KABA Farm and provides dishes made with their own proudly grown vegetables. 【Mendoriya】 Mendoriya is involved in cage-free poultry farming. They sell exquisite bread and sweets made with eggs from chickens…

Animal Welfare Award 2024: Recognizing Ajinomoto’s Efforts to Date

The Animal Welfare Award, presented annually to companies that have made effective contributions to domestic animal welfare, has selected the winners for the poultry and fish categories. The Animal Welfare Award is organized by the certified NPO Animal Rights Center, which aims to improve the welfare of farmed and aquatic animals. This award recognizes companies that have had the most significant impact on animal welfare during the previous year (April 2023 to March 2024) Chicken Award:Laying Hen Ajinomoto Co., Inc. Since identifying animal welfare issues for farmed animals through the company’s ethical report card in 2016, Ajinomoto has taken significant steps to address these concerns. They held a roundtable with…

Last Chance Rescue: Save 8 pigs from slaughter

This project started in March 2024, and we are currently working at a fast pace to prepare. Although we haven’t been able to share all the details yet, we are working as quickly as possible to free the pigs from their concrete pens. We will be releasing more information on this site and our social media. Please follow us! SOS! Please donate for the pigs’ new lives! We will provide updates and detailed cost breakdowns in the latest information below. Background of the Project At a pig farm nearing closure, there was a case of multi-animal hoarding and neglect involving dogs and cats. There, 9 pigs had been left behind…

Japanese in-ovo sexing technology for practical use 

On March 22, 2024, Representative Genki Sudo questioned the progress on the practical application of in-ovo sexing during a session of the House of Councillors’ Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. In-ovo sexing is a technology aimed at resolving the issue of male chicks being culled on the first day of their life in the egg-laying poultry industry. In response, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries reported the following progress:  Regarding in-ovo sexing, the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) is developing a technique to determine the sex of chicken eggs within seven days after incubation begins. This technology involves using AI to analyze in-egg images obtained through…

Three Stores Pledge Forever Cage-Free Future

In response to inquiries from the Animal Rights Center Japan, three stores-“mojokado co.,ltd.” in Minamata City, Kumamoto Pref., “Organic Foods & Goods Shop poka poka” in Koshi City, Kumamoto Pref. and “Rice, natural food plus cafe Neko.” in Kurayoshi City, Totori Pref. -have pledged that all the eggs they currently handle are cage-free and have committed to never carrying cage eggs. [mojokado] Mojokado provides gift boxes full of organic vegetables made by the contracted farmers in Kumamoto Prefecture,  representing its concept “organic from Minamata, organic as it’s Minamata” via an online store to nationwide. [Natural food and goods shop poka poka] This store handles pesticide-free and chemical fertilizer-free vegetables, as…

THREE NATURAL FOOD STORES COMMIT TO CAGE-FREE EGGS!

The following dedicated natural food stores have agreed to support the cage-free campaign in response to inquiries from the Animal Rights Center Japan; “TESHIGOTOYA, Yasai-no-Hiroba Ltd.” in Ikeda City, Osaka “Organic Shop NATURHYTHM” in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture “MUSUBIAN” in Tsukushino City, Fukuoka Prefecture They are currently selling only cage-free eggs and have committed to continuing this practice in the future. [TESHIGOTOYA, Yasai-no-Hiroba Ltd.] With a passion for delivering safe, tasty, and homemade food, this shop offers a range of organic and locally sourced fresh vegetables, along with additive-free products. They also host agricultural experiences and operate a volunteer-run children’s diner. [Organic Shop NATURHYTHM] The shop’s motto is “good healthy…

糸満ハーレー
Itoman Harley Festival Duck Abuse Case Referred to Prosecutors

We have been informed that a case, which has been under investigation after a complaint was filed with the Okinawa Prefectural Police against the Itoman Harley festival’s duck catching competition that took place on June 23, 2023, for violation of Article 44, Paragraph 2 (cruelty to animals) of the Animal Protection and Control Law, was referred to the public prosecutor’s office today. We hope that the prosecutors will make a fair and lawful decision. We also hope that the Itoman Harley committee will shift to holding the event in a way that does not use animals and that does not cause suffering to the vulnerable beings.

Exposed : Abuse of Dairy Cows at Ibaraki Animal Husbandry Center

There was a whistleblower to report repeated acts of violence, including attacking injured areas, at the Ibaraki Livestock Center. On February 19th, a joint complaint was filed with the Ibaraki Prefectural Police in the names of four organizations, Japan Anti-Vivisection Association (JAVA), PEACE (Put an End to Animal Cruelty and Exploitation), Certified NPO Citizens for Animal Protection Ibaraki Network (CAPIN), and Certified NPO Animal Rights Center Japan. Acts of violence, as shown in the video below, were carried out on a daily basis. At a first glance, it might appear as though they were just trying to move animals, but it’s clear that these acts of unnecessary violence were caused…

The First Ordeal of Broilers: The Hatchery

It is a well-known fact that male chicks from egg-laying hens are killed on the day of birth, but few people know that chickens raised for meat are similarly sorted on their first day, and “substandard” chicks are being killed on a daily basis. Chicks that are weak, have congenital shape anomalies such as too many legs, are too small, inflamed or dirty are considered “substandard.” Since about two out of every 100 chicks are killed, it is estimated that about 14 million birds (8 to 16 million birds) are killed immediately after birth in Japan each year. The most common way to kill chicks in the country is to…