Tiger Conservation and Japan
Illegal Trade in Tiger Parts
Government Policy, Legislation, and Enforcement
Action of JWCS

ACTION OF JWCS

JWCS brought out the following reports on the tiger trade: "Trade of Tiger Parts and Medicines in Japan" (1999) and "Can the Regulations be Effective without Monitoring?" (2001). The former was based on an investigation of the internal trade of tiger derivatives and traditional medicine of tiger parts in 1999, prior to the trade regulation. The latter pulled from a similar investigation in 2001 on the post-regulation trade. This new report, "Follow Up Survey of Illegal Trade in Tiger Parts and Medicines in Japan," reveals the reality of sales of tiger bone, penis, and the products thereof in 2003 and 2004.

Survey period: May 2004 - August 2004

Survey Methodology:

1.Retail shop
JWCS investigators posed as buyers and visited the traditional medicine shops, Chinese restaurants and glossary shops (including a telephone survey) to investigate the existence of tiger parts and their products. They also investigated the shops’ correspondence on the amended regulations. The facts of the findings were recorded in digital video film.
In a 2001 survey, JWCS interviewed 12 shops where the sale of tiger parts was confirmed. These shops were located in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Osaka, Nagoya and Kobe.

2. Website
JWCS confirmed websites that sold tiger products in 2001, and also confirmed the sale of tiger parts and products found through some internet search engines.
There is no track record of registration of tiger bone, penis and the products thereof (medicine, food, liquor, etc.) to the authorities. The sale of these products and the display of them for sale is illegal with no exception.

Recommendations to the Japanese Government:

1. The National Police Agency shall crack down on the shops and dealers opening websites that offer tiger bone and tiger products, as well as dealers selling tiger medicines through websites, in cooperation with related police offices.

2. Customs shall grasp the private import agent service on their websites, check and enforce them thoroughly at the port of entry, and actively indict the suspects to prosecutors.

3. Customs shall check tiger penis and shall pay sufficient attention to false documents quoting other animal penis.

4. The Ministry of the Environment, with the cooperation of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, shall give warning notice to all pharmacies in Japan that dried penis and penis wine are also strictly regulated.

5. The Ministry of the Environment, with the cooperation of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, shall consider collecting and disposing the tiger products owned not just by traditional medicines shops, but also by Chinese restaurants or Chinese grocery stores.

6. The Ministry of the Environment shall amend the cabinet order to implement LCES to regulate leopard bone and its products.