Japan animal cafes face hygiene and welfare survey

Japan's environment ministry plans to survey animal cafes as early as next month over hygiene and animal welfare concerns, an environment ministry official told AFP on Thursday.

The fact-finding survey will begin by gathering basic information such as the number of establishments and the animals they keep. The ministry will then examine whether cafes comply with relevant laws, including rules on animal space and cleaning practices.

The official said the ministry may conduct on-site inspections if it finds facilities that appear to be breaching animal welfare rules. The decision followed recommendations from members of an expert panel on animal welfare.

Japan has hundreds of animal cafes where visitors can interact with animals including cats, capybaras, micro-pigs, hedgehogs, owls, snakes and other species. Campaigners say some animals are kept in cramped spaces and that the cafes can encourage the capture and illegal trade of rare wildlife.

A 2025 survey by World Wide Fund for Nature Japan said some cafes kept endangered species listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, as well as species covered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. The WWF Japan report also said some shops had inadequate hygiene management and that microbiological testing detected pathogenic bacteria in multiple facilities.

Laila Imai, a campaign coordinator in Asia for PETA, said close encounters in cafes can prioritise customer entertainment over animals' needs and expose animals to constant handling, noise, camera flashes and interactions with strangers. Some animal cafes also operate as adoption centres for rescued cats and dogs.