A "sakura-neko" (cherry blossom cat), a Japanese term for a sterilized cat with an ear tip cut as a marker. Similar ear-tipping practices are used in TNR programs worldwide to identify sterilized cats.
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Japan is facing a difficult decision over how to manage feral cats as the environment ministry considers adding domestic cats to a list of species targeted for control. The move has exposed a legal contradiction: cats are protected under animal welfare laws, while feral cats can be hunted under wildlife regulations.
In response, the Japan Environmental Lawyers Federation (JELF), a group of lawyers specializing in environmental issues, submitted a statement to the ministry calling for the removal of provisions covering "noneko" (feral cats) and "noinu" (feral dogs) from the Wildlife Protection and Management Act. JELF argues that these provisions conflict with the Act on Welfare and Management of Animals and are no longer necessary.
The Difficulty of Identification
In practice, it is extremely difficult to distinguish between feral cats, owned cats that roam outdoors, community cats, and stray cats. Microchipping only became mandatory for cats sold by breeders and pet shops in June 2022, meaning that many cats obtained through adoption or other means still do not have microchips.
In March 2023, a graduate student arrested by Hiroshima Prefectural Police on suspicion of violating the Animal Welfare Act after killing a cat claimed that he believed it was a feral cat and therefore "not considered a protected animal." The case highlighted how legal ambiguities could potentially be exploited.
The Animal Foundation, a public interest incorporated foundation based in Hyogo Prefecture, has worked with the environment ministry and local governments nationwide to carry out sterilization procedures on more than 440,000 cats.
The organization submitted a request to the ministry calling for "noneko" and "noinu" to be removed from the category of huntable wildlife. The ministry also began reviewing the rules last autumn, citing concerns that distinguishing between feral cats, stray cats, and domestic cats is difficult in the field, creating risks of accidental capture, disputes, and violations of animal welfare laws.
Kunihisa Sagami, chairman of the foundation, criticized the government's approach, saying, "The Wildlife Protection and Management Act acknowledges that it is difficult to distinguish noneko from other cats, yet the ecosystem damage prevention list attempts to target domestic cats as a species. This is a double standard and unreasonable."
Cull or Neuter?
The question of how to manage stray cat populations remains controversial, with debate continuing in Japan and around the world over whether culling or Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is more effective. TNR involves capturing cats, sterilizing them, and returning them to their original locations to prevent further breeding.
Recent research suggests that cat eradication or removal programs have limited scientific support, while intensive TNR efforts can produce measurable results.
A 2023 study of Marion Island, one of the Prince Edward Islands in South Africa, illustrates the complexity of the issue. After an estimated 2,100 to 3,100 cats were eradicated over 19 years on the 290-square-kilometer island, some seabird populations recovered rapidly. However, rat populations surged, and other species showed little recovery.
While culling can be effective when carried out continuously and at high intensity, recent research indicates that TNR may offer a more cost-effective approach.
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Author: Sayaka Kimura, The Sankei Shimbun
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