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Agence France-Presse

Japan plans to look into popular animal cafes, where visitors can interact with anything from cats to capybaras, following concerns about hygiene and the creatures’ welfare, authorities said on Thursday.
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.
Animal welfare groups have long been alarmed by the cafes, where visitors can pet and play with a dizzying array of animals including micro-pigs, hedgehogs, owls and snakes.
A 2025 survey by WWF Japan said that some kept endangered species listed on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation. They also included species covered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, which regulates international trade in wildlife.
Some shops had inadequate hygiene management without prompting visitors to wash hands after contact with animals, while “microbiological testing detected pathogenic bacteria in multiple facilities”, the report said.
What may appear charming to visitors can be stressful and unnatural for the animals
Laila Imai, campaign coordinator in Asia for Peta
“Whether the animals are otters, capybaras, raccoons, owls, reptiles, or other wild species, these businesses are built around close encounters that prioritise customer entertainment over the animals’ needs,” said Laila Imai, campaign coordinator in Asia of animal welfare group Peta.
“Many are subjected to constant handling, noise, flashing cameras, and interactions with strangers throughout the day,” Imai said. “What may appear charming to visitors can be stressful and unnatural for the animals forced to live that way.”
Some animal cafes act as adoption centres, helping to find new homes for rescued cats and dogs.


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A WWF Japan survey has found that some shops keep endangered species while others have inadequate hygiene management


A WWF Japan survey has found that some shops keep endangered species while others have inadequate hygiene management.


Japan to probe popular animal cafes amid hygiene, welfare concerns

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}A WWF Japan survey has found that some shops keep endangered species while others have inadequate hygiene management

A WWF Japan survey has found that some shops keep endangered species while others have inadequate hygiene management