The report noted that “virtually all species in seizure records can be sold legally in the domestic market” in Japan. In 2015, some 391 native freshwater turtles were found in the luggage of two Chinese nationals leaving from Chubu International Airport, just outside of Nagoya. Another four were found to be involved in separate wildlife crimes in Japan or other countries, suggesting “some level of criminal professionalization”. Want an ad-free experience?Subscribe to Independent Premium. Of great concern is the fact that under current Japanese law, most wild animals can be effectively “laundered” into legal, domestic trade if smugglers avoid border controls. Dogs. You can also choose to be emailed when someone replies to your comment. The Asian small-clawed otter has become a popular pet in Southeast Asia. Illegal export of exotic pets was also taking place from Japan but only eight incidents were identified from media reports. One of the most popular is the liver of the monkfish, an exceedingly unattractive fish that is known in Japan for its delicious ankimo. There were no more than ten seizures each year over the past 12 years. Reptiles accounted for the majority (71%) of seizures. Please continue to respect all commenters and create constructive debates. "Those smuggling wildlife are risking heavy fines or imprisonment while their actions directly threaten the species concerned and carry with them the very real risk of introducing zoonotic diseases, which as the world knows potentially has dire consequences," TRAFFIC’s Dr Richard Thomas told The Independent. Learn about the best choices for children. The rabbit has short feet and hind legs. “These animals are known to be potential reservoirs or intermediaries for viruses that can cause human disease outbreaks including Ebola Virus Disease (bats and primates) as well as SARS, MERS, and the most recent Covid-19 (probably bats),” the researchers noted. This species makes a great exotic pet, however a large enclosure is required when adult. These incidences happened in Australia, South Africa, Argentina and Venezuela and involved at least 500 non-CITES listed species, according to the report, such as Australian reptiles and South American beetles. An exotic pet can be a good pick for a family pet if all the pros and cons are considered. Green & Black Poison Dart Frogs Dendrobates auratus Prices from £59.99. Snakes, lemurs, bush babies, insects, the list goes on. Even if it’s that fashionable pet stone decades ago, or a pet plant – still, that innate part being human – that ability and need to give some tender love and affection is both a stress relief as well as a source of joy and inspiration. There were a TON of other animals. One notable characteristic, researchers found, was the involvement of young Japanese female suspects, possibly recruited as mules by criminal organisations to smuggle wildlife across borders. Independent Premium Comments can be posted by members of our membership scheme, Independent Premium. Between 2007 and 2018, Japan Customs made 78 incoming seizures involving 1,161 animals of species listed in CITES. Our journalists will try to respond by joining the threads when they can to create a true meeting of independent Premium. button button The Spruce Pets… Media reports on smuggling seizures outside of Japan revealed 28 occasions, totalling 1,207 creatures, where Japanese nationals were involved. 7 / 10. Almost two-thirds of the animals were smuggled on passenger planes which landed at international airports in Tokyo and Osaka, and around one-quarter were sent by mail to those large urban areas. There have been booms in demand for “iconic” species driven by the media and social media, researchers noted. Among their recommendations, TRAFFIC called for the Japanese government to review import and export regulations, along with the laws on domestic sales of live animals. Although conviction rates were high, just three individuals were jailed. The Japanese smuggler was sentenced to one-year imprisonment by a Hong Kong Court. Due to the sheer scale of this comment community, we are not able to give each post the same level of attention, but we have preserved this area in the interests of open debate. Animals that can attack people such as monkeys of medium size, big birds (eagles and hawks), crocodiles and snakes, are classified as special animals. The regular animal café rules are applied here, as you must be gentle with animals and turn off your camera flash. The average market value for each animal is 1.5–3.6m Japanese yen ($14,000 - $33,000). In Japanese law, there are only minimal regulations for nonnative species - those listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The existing Open Comments threads will continue to exist for those who do not subscribe to Independent Premium. (The researchers say that it is unclear whether the turtles were meant for pets or consumption, or both). If you want to keep them as a pet, you need to get permission from the municipal authorities. The maximum sentence handed down was for one year and ten months and a fine of 800,000 Japanese Yen ($7,447). You are able to get them not only at pet shops but health centers. It is a surviving remnant of the ancient rabbits that once inhabited the Asian mainland. The Amami rabbit is a rabbit commonly found in Amani Oshima and Toku-no-Shima in Japan. The country’s weak legislation and porous borders are not only a boon for traffickers but the flow of species poses a risk of zoonotic diseases that can “jump” from animals to humans, as the coronavirus outbreak has highlighted with devastating effect. Every pet has its own life. A university student, 22, was arrested in 2017 for attempting to smuggle otters from Thailand and a year later, a 27-year-old female was convicted for attempting to smuggle 19 Shingleback Skink lizards from Australia. Japan’s Customs Act recommends fines instead of criminal charges for violations. An exotic pet can be a good pick for a family pet if all the pros and cons are considered. It is believed that these animals were destined for the exotic pet trade. Visit an owl café. Three cases have taken place in the last five years, involving 461 Japanese reptiles and amphibians. Historically, Japan has been one of the biggest consumers of exotic pets with a demand for hundreds of rare species like slow lorises, owls and pythons for private collections. That leads us to wonder what are the most popular pets in Japan. Japan’s own native, endangered species are also being negatively impacted by the international pet trade, the study found. Please be respectful when making a comment and adhere to our Community Guidelines. Are you sure you want to delete this comment? Numerous cases have been reported globally of imported rare animals being kept as exotic pets. Create a commenting name to join the debate, There are no Independent Premium comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts, There are no comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts. Dogs are very popular in Japan, and you are able to get them from almost any pet shops. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? This is a … Japan is a country with a lot of different animals, from cats and dogs to more exotic ones, such as bears and salamanders. Some odd amphibians, giant tortoises, and lizards can be found in this exotic Japanese café. In 2018, 60 Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtles from Japan were seized in Hong Kong. Pets can easily cause trouble with neighbors on issues such as noise, smell and hair shedding. If you want to keep pets, carefully study these questions and. Alarming numbers of threatened species are being smuggled into Japan and “laundered” into the exotic pet trade, a new study has found. It is usually forbidden to bring your pet with you to restaurants and public premises. Salted and served with a ponzu sauce, ankimo is considered by some to be comparable to foie gras. Mammals made up 19% and birds (6%). The report, published last week, is the first, detailed look at Japan’s exotic pet trade. Slow lorises are highly-prized in Japan's exotic pet trade, according to a new study, Japan’s own native, endangered species are also being negatively impacted by the international pet trade, including its turtle species, the study found, Threatened species are ‘laundered’ in Japan’s exotic pet trade, study, Restaurant serves bear meat in ‘out-of-control illegal wildlife trade’, Illegal ivory trafficking shifts to Cambodia after crackdown in China, William Hague calls on UK and China to fight illegal wildlife trade, China removes pangolin scales from list of traditional medicines, International criminal laws ‘needed to tackle wildlife trade’, You may not agree with our views, or other users’, but please respond to them respectfully, Swearing, personal abuse, racism, sexism, homophobia and other discriminatory or inciteful language is not acceptable, Do not impersonate other users or reveal private information about third parties, We reserve the right to delete inappropriate posts and ban offending users without notification.