This is true of caged egg-farming schemes, which cultivate immense amounts of ecological damage, including air and water pollution, deforestation, biodiversity loss and fossil fuel use. As a global leader on sustainability, Japan must acknowledge that poor animal welfare standards compromise the environment, climate change and biodiversity. With the G7 Summit having just taken place in Hiroshima this past weekend, the time has come for Japan to step up and enhance its reputation on animal welfare by committing to support the global transition to cage-free poultry production. There are no bans on debeaking or forced moulting and pre-slaughter stunning is not mandatory. For laying hens, 94.3% of Japan’s poultry farmers use battery cages, overcrowded wire cages that cause injury and prevent the birds from performing natural behaviours, such as spreading their wings.

On a scale from ‘A’ to ‘G’, the country ranks ‘G’ on World Animal Protection’s Animal Protection Index in respect of farmed animal protections. Meanwhile Japan lags far behind the other G7 countries on animal welfare. Similar changes are taking place in the UK and the EU the latter of which has even committed to introducing legislation phasing out cages for farmed animals by 2027. Due to growing demand around the world, over 130 global commitments to end the use of cages have been made by some of the world’s largest companies, including KFC, Burger King and Nestlé.Īt the same time, there have been major regional changes: in the United States, the percentage of hens kept in cages has decreased from 90% in 2016 to 65% today, and this may decrease to as little as 30% in the next 5 years. The world is changing rapidly for poultry.

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