This is a report on the February 2024 charges filed against eight employees of the Ibaraki Prefectural Livestock Breeding Center and their employer, Ibaraki Prefecture, for assaulting and improperly raising cattle in violation of the Animal Protection Law.
In response to the Mito District Public Prosecutors Office’s disposition in March 2025 of “insufficient suspicion,” we had filed an appeal with the Mito Public Prosecutors Examination Board in April, and on June 9, our representative was informed of the decision that the indictment was “appropriate.
The reason for the resolution was that there was not enough evidence to overturn the ruling of non-prosecution by the prosecution. It is regrettable that neither the prosecutors nor the prosecution board understood that cattle, as large animals, are equal to dogs and cats under the Animal Protection Law.
We apologize to all of you who have supported our activities for our inability to do so, and we are very sorry to report this.
Although there is nothing more that can be done in the criminal case and the charges themselves are closed, our main goal was to force the prefectural government to review the way the cattle were being raised. We believe that the charges brought to light the problems at the livestock center and led to the improvements that the prefecture is now making.
We will continue to lobby the Livestock Breeding Center and Ibaraki Prefecture, and we look forward to your continued support.
Accuser
NPO Association for the Abolition of Animal Testing
PEACE Dignity, not exploitation of life
Certified NPO Animal Rights Center
Certified NPO Ibaraki Kenmin Network for Animal Protection
