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On December 3rd 2019, a member from the House of Representatives in Gunma prefecture, Keinin Horikoshi, asked Minister Shinjiro Koizumi of the Ministry of Environment questions about the needs of animal welfare for livestock animals. The OIE Standards, which the Ministry of Environment at the Committee on Environment in May 2019 promised to follow, were supposed to be known to the local officials through their study group sessions. How does Minister Koizumi understand animal welfare issues on livestock animals? Mr. Horikoshi emphasized the importance of leadership by the Ministry of Environment on this issue: There was some progress in this issue in certain aspects. I believe the leadership by the…
On 2019/11/12 at the House of Representatives Consumer Committee, Representative Keinin Horikoshi (Constitutional Democratic Party, Gunma) raised a question about promotion of animal welfare and ethical consumption. Mr. Horikoshi explained animal welfare as part of ethical consumption, its economic impact, investment impact, and the risk of intensive livestock farming, and appealed strongly about the need for help of the Consumer Affairs Agency, which bears the role of educating the consumers. In response, Shinichi Eto, Minister for Extraordinary Affairs of the Cabinet Office (consumers and food safety) stated as follows: After hearing from Representative, we were not always aware of this, so it was very helpful, or rather a very good…
The fraction of supermarkets carrying cage-free eggs increased to 51%. Animal welfare, spreading in Japan as well. Animal Rights Center Japan, with support from 77 volunteers in 24 prefectures nationwide from August 1 to September 31, 2019, surveyed 270 stores for animal welfare and plant-based protein availability. In the “Green Consumer Nationwide Store Survey 2015” sponsored by the nonprofit Citizens Environmental Foundation and participated by multiple organizations including the Animal Rights Center in 2015, 22% of the supermarkets sold eggs that were labeled cage-free or free-range, and 16% of supermarkets sold milk labeled “free range” or “grazing”. In 2019, the concept of animal welfare seems to have spread a lot,…
Press Release As a protest against Ito City Futo district resuming dolphin drive hunting, over 200 organizations from around the world urge UNESCO to cancel the “Izu Peninsula Geopark” designation It has been announced that dolphin drive hunting by the Futo Branch of the Ito Fishery Cooperative “Ito Gyokyo”, which had not been performed for the last 15 years since 2004, will resume from this year. The Izu Peninsula was certified in 2018 by the official UNESCO programme “World Geopark”, but resuming dolphin drive hunting is against its philosophy. In response, we are informing you that the following actions were taken today at the request of two organizations, the certified NPO…
Thank you for sending us videos, photos, and episodes of many chickens who are kind, intelligent, and worth their lives on their own. Every chicken was wonderful and adorable and it was difficult to make the selection, but the Animal Rights Center Japan board members voted for the chickens and their episodes, and chose the following. Grand Prize: Displaying the very character of the chickens! 北海道旭川市の 星 穏佳 さんと同居している鶏たち。 「ケージ飼育知らずににわとりかいをしました。知って涙なしにいられませんでした。周りは狭いところが飼うのがあたりまえ。自分はその飼い方にいつしか疑問を持つようになりました。 嘴を切る必要性の無さ、 オスのにわとりをミンチにする無意味さ、 すべて不自然。 農業も不自然ですが、畜産はもっともっと不自然。」 「冬は小屋の中？閉じ込める？ んなことしなくても、寒くなれば 勝手に小屋に帰るよ。 だって、うちら自由にうごける足があるしさ。」 Outstanding: Great co-existence of chickens and humans! 愛知県の野田典子さん家族と同居しているちっぷさんとあんこさん。 「ストレスなく快適に暮らす事は人間以外の生き物にも当たり前の権限だと思います」 Like a tomboy ^^ 丸岡圭一さんの家に勝手に住み着いたフランキー。 View this post on Instagram A post shared by 丸岡 圭一 (@maruokakeiichi) Very lively! 千葉県のErinaさんと一緒に生活をしているストライプちゃんとゴールドちゃん。 「毎日100パーセントの愛情を込めて 一緒に生活しています。 お散歩へ出掛けると、ケージの中とは違って、目の輝きや行動が凄くいきいきとし…
A list below shows dolphins that died from 2018 through Sept 27th 2019. Many of these individuals were born to breed, and died within three years after they were born, except for one skunk dolphin. This sinful act has been repeated in the history of aquariums. Sadly, these wild dolphins have had to lose their calves over and over. The breeding practice takes place not for the dolphins, but rather for humans for their entertainment and profit. A few of them survive, and live a long time, but most of them die. Dolphins live in groups of hundreds, sometimes even thousands. They raise their calves together, swim around the vast…
The livestock industry uses animals daily and works side-by-side with death. The trapped animals mean death if humans stop feeding them. Inappropriate treatment is abuse, and animals are suffering from mistreatment. The situation is determined by the livestock farmer’s one arrangement, one consideration, one lazy heart, one action without courage, and the animals are all under the dominion. Japan is a disaster powerhouse. Earthquakes, water disasters, and typhoons often come and leave great scars every year. In recent years, “stricken areas” keep increasing dramatically. When these two things are considered together, livestock farmers must prepare for disasters much more than usual, and in the event of a disaster, they should…
Even with a thin rubber mat laid on the concrete, every time the cows lay down, get up, or toss and turn, their 700 kg weight strains their joints and bones, and their muscles only get weaker, unable to even exercise. The fur on the cows’ joints wear down, their skins get exposed, further causing bruises, their flesh gets exposed, and the tissues get destroyed. Please don’t buy milk from Tie stalls dairy farms. In supermarkets, you can almost never find ethical milk. Please replace cow milk with soy milk or almond milk. If you want to use cow milk, please order grazing cow milk. Consumer choices change the situations…
No land animals are used as much as broiler chickens for meat. In Japan, 700 million chickens are raised per year. For this reason, improving situations for these animals would make a huge impact in terms of animal welfare. It is also important to take this issue seriously for our sustainable society since it is deeply connected to the issue of drug resistance. Many European companies signed up for the European Chicken Commitment. It was initiated by an animal welfare organization that set better standards for raising chickens. In the Commitment, various proposals are suggested to solve issues for chicken in light of animal welfare. Issue 1: TOO BIG. TOO…
Japan is still in a situation where 99% of eggs are produced from battery cages, and the industry is clinging to this old rearing method. However, there will be no future there. In USA, sale of caged eggs have been banned starting in Massachusetts, then in California, Washington, and Oregon. Furthermore, Other states tried to ask the Supreme Court to repeal the law in Massachusetts but the Supreme Court did not accept the lawsuit. Eggs in the US are inexpensive. Unlike in Japan, it must be advantageous to be able to produce feed within the country, and to have large production volumes with large facilities. It seems that Japan wants…
Regarding the animal welfare regulations on rearing method that the International Animal Health Organization OIE is trying to formulate, Japan continues to give negative opinions saying “reasonable flexibility should be ensured considering various production modes”. In response to industry and national attitudes, we, the Animal Rights Center Japan, have requested that animal welfare be enhanced in collaboration with other animal rights groups. Consumer groups have also joined the national committee and are speaking out for animal welfare. However, the opinions of NGOs are not reflected at all. The chicken farm shown in this video is from Japan. This is the result of ensuring reasonable flexibility. There is no law at…
RICCO gelato Co., Ltd., which operates stores on Okinawa Miyakojima and in Tokyo, is popular with a variety of flavors that ice cream lovers won’t get bored with. Precise allergen labeling is also one of the attractions, and there are many types of ice cream that does not use milk or eggs. There are also sales via an online store, so many people are probably using it; when inquired, we confirmed that cage-free eggs are used in all products in addition to ice cream. RICCO gelato Co. Chief Director Yutaka Maeno said: Even if it takes extra effort, we’d like consumers to eat safe and delicious food. Rearing chickens cage-free…
What is Cattle’s Individual Identification Number? You may have seen “Cattle’s Individual Identification numbers” on packages when you buy Japanese beef at a supermarket. These Cattle’s Individual Identification numbers are attached to cow’s ears as well as displayed on the meat package at supermarkets. Since Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) was first observed in 2001 in Japan, there has been a huge demand of traceability about where the cattle were born and transported. Thus, the Law for Special Measures Concerning the Management and Relay of Information for Individual Identification of Cattle came into effect in 2003. Consumers can obtain information of the trace by looking up the individual identification numbers displayed…
There are various support systems for the livestock industry implemented by the country, but one of them is Comprehensive Subsidies for Developing Strong Agriculture & Leaders. As previously reported in another article, from 2018, when using this grant to establish a local meat production center (slaughterhouse), consideration for animal welfare has become required. In the case of implementing the maintenance of local meat centers among livestock product processing facilities, efforts shall be made to effectively utilize the recycling of slaughter residue, etc., and handle livestock in consideration of animal welfare. Although it is not specific, it was a step forward in animal welfare that such a sentence was added to…
IRELAND, 3 JULY 2019 – Ireland is set to become the 15th country in the European union to ban fur farming after the country’s cabinet approved to phase-out fur farming. The bill is expected to be introduced into the Dáil, the Irish parliament, in September. The Fur Free Alliance urges the Irish government to stay committed and join the majority of European countries in making an end to this barbaric industry. Commenting on the Government decision, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D. said: “There has been considerable international and societal debate about fur farming. While the Department has strengthened its controls over the sector in…
At “Inubosaki Marine Park” in Chiba prefecture Choshi city which closed due to deterioration and business collapse in January 2018, a bottlenose dolphin “Honey”, humboldt penguins, and fish were left behind, and voices of concerns over their future were incessant. Despite strong interest from overseas, the Marine Park has refused contacts with us or the media and has withheld information. Management resumes with a new owner!? Honey and the penguins may get sold to China!? According to an article on the 2019/7/5 issue of the weekly magazine “FRIDAY”, the chief director has been replaced by a Chinese woman; moreover, details were posted that are astonishing, or rather they matched our worst expectations.…
On June 27th, the meat processing companies Primaham and Starzen held annual shareholders assemblies in Tokyo, and this year we were in front of the venues to encourage shareholders to ask the companies questions about the confined pig breeding practice. A total of 12 people took part in the action toward abolishing pregnancy stalls, asking shareholders to comment on the use of pregnancy stalls at the meetings. We handed out over 150 copies of targeted flyers of Primaham and over 100 copies to Starzen, respectively. In the leaflets distributed, we encouraged the investors to ask their respective companies the following kinds of questions: Please tell us about your…
The 2 chickens, Ayumi and Nozomi, rescued from battery cages in 2018 and taken back by ARCJ. Because they were originally injured in the battery cage in the legs and the base of the feet, they were unable to walk. In particular, Nozomi had a broken bone in the base of her foot which was then reconnected crookedly, so her recovery was delayed. Seven months after coming to ARCJ, please take a look at their appearance. Ayumi Ayumu began running around immediately. At first, it seemed like she would topple over when she was about to walk, but her posture eventually improved, now looking like a chicken. Nozomi After spending…
The multi-partisan parliamentary group aiming for zero killing of dogs and cats has established a project team for amending the Animal Welfare Act. Since its launch on August 25, 2023, the PT has held 21 meetings to hear from stakeholders and deliberate on the direction of amendments. Out of these 21 sessions, however, only one touched on livestock animals, and just one on laboratory animals. Despite 1 billion livestock animals being killed annually, the issue remains far from the priorities of lawmakers. In the sole PT meeting addressing livestock, the discussions showed promise, but it is unlikely to expect significant amendments by 2025 at this rate. 17th PT: Hearings on…
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