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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…
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…
In August 2023, a stylish cafe named Koborebi opened in the heart of the Kameari Station Shopping Street in Katsushika-ku, Tokyo. The owner is particularly meticulous about the cafe’s exterior and interior design, selecting items from DIY and antique shops to create a relaxing and cozy atmosphere. The cafe is committed to using organic ingredients and exclusively cage-free eggs. The owner has made a cage-free commitment, promising to avoid the use of caged eggs now and future. The menu highlights animal welfare, notably in the description of its pudding made from cage-free eggs. Aiming to Be a Game-Changing Cafe The owner launched Koborebi with the ambition of effecting societal change…
We would like to introduce two stores that aim for 100% cage-free eggs. In Kyoto City, the confectionery store Ikeda makes dorayaki using cage-free eggs. They use eggs from Wabisuke, a reputable cage-free egg producer, and hope to achieve 100% cage-free status by 2030 if Wabisuke can keep up with the supply. ‘The price gap between cage and free-range eggs is gradually narrowing,’ says the store manager, and indeed it is. However, even if more confectioners start using cage-free eggs, the taste of Ikeda, with 20 years of craftsmanship, remains unparalleled. At events, Ikeda also sells plant-based dorayaki using beet sugar. Yokoi Farm in Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture, manufactures and…
Ninjin (Carrot) Club, a membership-based home delivery service in Aichi, Gifu, and Mie prefectures, offers organically grown (partially pesticide-free/low pesticide-free) fruits and vegetables, food products made without additives from raw materials, and other carefully selected household goods. They are selling only cage-free chicken eggs, and have recently made a cage-free promise that they will continue to sell only cage-free chicken eggs in the future.Ninjin Club’s philosophy is to care for the earth, health, life, and food. Give prior to animals’ behavior when raising them Ninjin Club’s website states, ‘We respect the ecologically appropriate care of animals based on the concept of animal welfare, in which all animals live happily and…
Aoioto Co., Ltd., which operates “French Cafe in the Forest Aoioto” and “Cutlet Cafe Aoioto” in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, and the sweets brand “amaioto” which was launched in July of this year, has decided to aim for a cage-free by 2025. The initiative for animal welfare began with the launch of the sweets brand “amaioto” in July 2023, with the concept of “the ultimate treat, the ultimate bite.” In the search for eggs to use in “amaioto,” they visited Obata Livestock, also located in Ibaraki Prefecture. After tasting the eggs and witnessing Obata Livestock employees gently interacting with the laying hens, they decided to use eggs from this farm.…
The supermarket named “Nagomi Marche Kikuya” (Kikuya Ltd.) in Tamana District, Kumamoto Prefecture has made a cage-free promise toward the future. Kikuya is a locally loved supermarket with a lineup of carefully selected food. The selection is made by the president himself while meeting with producers in person. Mr. Higashi, the president of the company, selects food with great importance on how the animals are raised and how the producers think about their products. “It’s natural to offer cage-free eggs” True to the word, the store currently has three types of cage-free eggs. They deal with mayonnaise of cage-free eggs from all manufacturers, as well as egg-free one. Mr. Higashi…
The pension Evergreen, located in Suwa District, Nagano Prefecture, has endorsed the Cage-Free Commitment! Evergreen, which has been in business for 10 years, is a lodging facility where you can fully enjoy nature. It offers homemade bread using natural yeast, freshly roasted coffee, and vegetable-based lunches in an environment surrounded by nature. They are committed to pursuing natural ingredients, and their eggs are sourced from naturally raised laying hens. Using Cage -Free Egg from the Local Farm According to the owner, Evergreen has been mainly offering plant-based meals since its opening. The owner’s child happened to find out that his classmate’s family was running a cage-free chicken farm, so they…
Zin Co., Ltd., operating the women’s fashion brand “ZIN KATO,” has responded to inquiries from the Animal Rights Centerr by stating that it had discontinued the use of most animal-derived materials. While the eliminationt of real fur had already been commited this time the company has made it clear that it is ceasing the use of “fur wool,” a mixture of wool and hair from animals like foxes and raccoons, and also Angora, down, and all exotic leathers. Moreover, the company has decided to discontinue the future use of all goat hairs (Cashmere, Mohair, Pashmina, etc.) and all camel hairs (Alpaca, Lama, Vicuña, etc.). The response also expressed a commitment…
The combined-type children’s center FLOWER CHILDREN, located in Sosa City, Chiba Prefecture, has decided to use only cage-free eggs for its meals. FLOWER CHILDREN operates three businesses: a small-scale nursery, care for sick and convalescent children, and an after-school children’s classroom. They provide home-like, small-group childcare and education. From October 2023, the meals provided at the facility have been transitioned to organic, and at the same time, they switched to cage-free eggs. Even the mayonnaise has been changed to use cage-free eggs. ‘If We’re Switching, Let’s Make Everything Better’ According to the director of the children’s center, the decision to go cage-free was made with the intention of switching to…
Mothers Co., Ltd., based in Shiraoi Town, Hokkaido, owns its own layer farms, and is popular for the sale of sweets made from eggs produced there. The Animal Rights Center has been urging the company, known for its understanding of animal welfare, to shift to cage-free farming for several years. Now, after reevaluating the relationship between chickens and humans through the COVID-19 pandemic and the avian influenza crisis, Mothers has decided to convert all of its farms to cage-free. Originally, one of the three buildings was cage-free, but preparations are now underway to convert the remaining two to cage-free (aviary systems). Soon, approximately 40,000 egg-laying hens will be housed in…
Takashimaya Farm is a natural food store operated by the well-trusted, long-established department store ‘Takashimaya’, incorporating advanced agricultural and food practices. Recently, buyers from Takashimaya Farm and the Animal Rights Center Japan had an opportunity for dialogue and confirmed that all the shell eggs sold are from cage-free sources. Having cage-free products among the items selected by the discerning buyers of a traditional department store represents a significant and valuable initiative for animal welfare. It truly is a fusion of tradition and cutting-edge practices. What is Cage-Free? 99% of Japan’s egg-laying chickens are kept in cages, which are cramped and unhealthy enclosures. These farming practices are globally shifting towards cage-free…
Since it’s scheduled to be reviewed in 2025, there has been a series of discussions on the Animal Welfare and Management Act. Together with Japan Anti-Vivisection Association (JAVA) and PEACE(Put an End to Animal Cruelty and Exploitation), the Animal Rights Center Japan compiled requests to further update the law. As we demanded for the revision in 2019, situations for livestock animals have improved significantly, so we’re focusing on what is yet to be realized this time around. In addition, we request the law be properly followed since it has not been strictly enforced lately. Transition to Animal Welfare(福祉)Act from Animal Protection(愛護)Act 1.Clarify animal welfare by changing to “the purpose of…
The cafe Seaside Table Egg in Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture, known for its dishes and sweets primarily made with eggs, has committed to using only cage-free eggs. Opened in May 2023, Seaside Table Egg is operated by Oakrich Inc., a company that produces free-range eggs. The menu at the cafe exclusively uses free-range eggs from Oakrich Co., Ltd. Mr. Togashi, the representative of Oakrich, chose free-range poultry farming to create eggs that meet his standards, based on the belief that good eggs can only come from healthy birds. Mr. Togashi’s passionate commitment to his chickens and free-range farming is detailed on their website. All our efforts, including free-range farming and…
The Ageuma festival held at Tado Shrine in Mie prefecture has been blasted over mistreatment of animals. On July 27th, Juridical Foundation Animal Environment & Welfare Association Eva and we, the Animal Rights Center, visited Mie Governor, Katsuyuki Ichimi, some prefectural staff, and a former ministry of health minister, Norihisa Tamura, to address this issue. The governor explained that the prefecture is aware and has demanded that improvements be made so the festival will be better suited for the current time. The governor well understands the Ageume festival is no longer acceptable per today’s standards. Mr. Tamura also pushed some changes and gave numerous successful examples in his own hometown.…
An employee was prosecuted on July 13th after a video of him kicking a dairy cow went viral in social media on June 10th 2023. The Animal Rights Center pressed two charges per the Animal Protection Law; one is against this employee based on the Article 44 Clause 2 and the other is based on the Article 48 Clause 2 against Ohdahara Farm. Though the charge against the farm has been dropped, the Animal Rights Center considers the persecution was fair. This is because many abuse cases against livestock were almost always dismissed no matter how horrendous the cases had been. For instance, 35 pigs were starved to death in…
In June 2023, a video of an assault on a dairy cow at the Ohdahara farm in Shimane Prefecture was spread on social media, and investigated by the prefectural police. While media reports only a rough description of the assaults, the video clearly shows that the cows were subjected to repeated and severe beatings. In the 2 minute 40 second video, which consists of both Video 1 and Video 2, one employee (referred to as Employee A) commits the following violence: Some people claim that it is impossible for farmers to assault cows because it affects the quality of the milk, and that farmers treat their cows with love and…
Animal Rights Center HQ We had a street action in Shibuya on May 5th.Since this day was Children’s Day in Japan, instead of the abolition of confined breeding of mother pigs that we usually call on the street, we advocated about piglets killed at 6 months of age for pork production, male chicks killed on the day they are born for egg production, and broilers that are killed for chicken meat production at 50 days old. The area in front of Shibuya’s scramble crossing is very crowded during Golden Week, so we were able to get many passers-by to see the panel and hand out flyers.Many people showed interest in…
Many hens in Japan have a short miserable life in a battery cage. The result of an investigation conducted by the Animal Rights Center shows their condition is much crueler than the center had expected. ▾MOVIE | ▾Whistle-blowing and Vilification | ▾The Conditions of Hens at Night | ▾Why is this happening? | ▾Violating Global Standards AND Domestic Law | ▾Shift for Change | ▾Get on with improvements! After hens are used as egg-laying machines for one or two years, they are called waste chickens or mature chickens. They are slaughtered for meat. The meat is used for canned meat products, processed food, frozen food, ground meat, chicken extract, and chicken ham. Their big, but unhealthily white-color bent combs are used for…
Say NO to Practice of Starving Animal to Death in Industry A broiler chicken company in Wakayama prefecture reportedly starved 140,000 chickens to death in 2020. The company belonged to the Arita Poultry Agricultural Cooperative. According to Wakayama prefecture, a chicken slaughterhouse owned by the same owner of this broiler chicken company went bankrupt first, which resulted in the inability to relocate the chickens , then starvation. They claimed they could not afford putting these chickens down, either. The prefecture didn’t step in to help euthanize the birds, either. And yet, the prefecture promptly executed an aid to clean up the corpses that cost approximately 100 million JPY, and handed…