Japan is an adequate performer under the VACI.
I plead for an end to animal cruelty on this planet. For this to happen, firstly everyone must stop eating meat and become a vegetarian.
Masaki Akita (Merzbow)
Japan is an adequate performer under the VACI.
Japan slaughters around 7.8 land-based animals per person / year, which is lower than the global average of 9.7. The country’s dependency on farm animals is relatively low, with around 2.6 farm animals per person (compared with a global average of around 4). Due to the shortage of arable land, grazing is uncommon and factory farming is widespread, particularly in poultry, pig and dairy production.
The Japanese diet contains a relatively high proportion of animal products, with around 43.9% of the average person’s diet being made up of land-based animal protein (compared with a global average of 35.2%). This is low compared to other developed countries, and equates to each person consuming around 30.8g of land-based animal protein per day (compared with a global average of 26.7g). These figures obviously do not include the consumption of fish, which is extremely high in the Japanese diet.
Japan was given a “D” under the Animal Protection Index (API), and is a moderate performer under the Sanctioning Cruelty category. The API notes gaps in Japan’s animal protection legislative framework, poor enforcement mechanisms and an absence of government support for animal welfare initiatives. Learn more about the quality of Japan’s legislative protections on the API here.