Part 2 of the Wildlife crime – understanding risks, avenues for action learning series provides companies, policy makers, practitioners and law enforcement with information and background knowledge on crime and corruption in the exotic pet trade.
2. Introduction to the exotic pet trade
2.4. Pet trafficking to Japan: social media, animal-themed cafés and “cuteness”
Japan’s pet market, growing for the past three decades, is driving the illegal import of a wide variety of species from across Asia. This threatens species with extinction and increases the risks of zoonotic disease spread. A major driver of pet trafficking in Japan relates to kawaii (かわいい), or “cuteness”. Animals considered cute, such as slow loris, owls and otters, are often found in animal-themed cafes and pet stores, and also feature prominently in the illegal wildlife trade.
Another popular trend in Japan is the collection of reptiles, amphibians and insects. This relates more to the status associated with purchasing and owning rare and expensive wildlife.
Red flags include:
- Repeat offenders: Traffickers exploit gaps in the Japanese legal system (which generally lacks protections for most non-native species) to launder illegally trafficked species into legal pet markets. When caught, traffickers face light penalties, including little or no prison time. Re-offending is common.
- Non-native species sales: Pet stores, animal-themed cafés, online dealers, and individual sellers advertising CITES-listed species for sale or for animal experiences may be involved in laundering trafficked species.
For a detailed overview, see Kitade & Naruse (2020).