Japan to Survey Animal Cafes Amid Welfare Concerns

Japan has hundreds of the cafes where campaigners say animals are sometimes kept in cramped spaces, and that their popularity encourages the capture and illegal trade of rare wildlife.

A fact-finding survey will begin as early as next month, starting with obtaining basic information such as the number of establishments and what animals they keep, according to an environment ministry official.

The ministry would examine whether they complied with relevant laws, including whether animals had enough space and how often cleaning took place, the official said, without wishing to be named.

“We may then do on-site inspections if we find facilities that appear to be breaching rules” stipulated by the animal welfare law, he said.

The decision to launch the survey followed recommendations by members of an expert panel about animal welfare.