Japan Diet OKs Bill to Oblige Microchipping of Dogs, Cats

Tokyo, June 12 (Jiji Press)--The Diet, Japan's parliament, on Wednesday enacted a bill for obliging the implantation into pet dogs and cats of a microchip containing owner information. The House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, passed the bill to amend the animal welfare law with a unanimous vote at a plenary meeting on the day. The bill cleared the House of Representatives, the lower chamber, earlier this month. The lawmaker-sponsored bill is designed to prevent pet animals from being easily abandoned and make it easier to find pets lost in disasters and for other reasons. A microchip for pets, having a cylindrical shape, measures 2 millimeters in diameter and 12 millimeters in length. It is implanted into pets by a veterinarian. A 15-digit code contained in the microchip is read with a dedicated device to check owner information. The revised law requires sellers of pet dogs and cats to microchip the animals and submit owner registration to the environment minister. Those purchasing registered dogs and cats must report the change of ownership to the minister. Existing dog and cat owners are exempted from the microchipping requirement. Still, they are urged to "make efforts" to microchip their pets. The amended legislation bans in principle the sale of dogs and cats not exceeding 56 days after birth. Before the revision, the law set the threshold at 49 days as a transitional measure reflecting requests from the pet industry. The revised law also stipulates tougher penalties against animal abusers. Those who hurt or kill animals will be jailed for up to five years or fined up to 5 million yen, compared with a jail term of two years or less or a fine of 2 million yen or less before the amendment. In principle, the revised law will be put into force within a year of promulgation. The microchipping obligation and the new age limit on the sale of dogs and cats will start within three and two years, respectively. END