With the new animal welfare law about to be enforced, several readers have asked how they should report examples of cruelty they have seen. One woman was repulsed by a game she saw recently. Players tried to catch live lobsters crowded into an aquarium with a cranelike tool operated by remote control. She sent along a sketch but it wasn't necessary. The Japan Times carried a photo of a boy attempting to catch one, 300 yen a try, two for 500 yen. We were told that while people may try many times, very few leave with a lobster.

To make a report, those who speak Japanese should call the veterinarian section of their metropolitan or prefectural government. Those who do not should contact a local office of the Japan Animal Welfare Society, appropriately initialized as JAWS; there are nine offices throughout Japan. Not all have bilingual people all of the time, but arrangements will be made for one when necessary. Call the Tokyo office at (03) 3405-5681 for the office nearest you.

That's for animals. I am not so sure that the law will be applied to sea life, at least not yet. Still, she should report her feelings in an effort to rouse awareness. While catching lobsters with a mini-crane may be distressing, so indeed is dropping one into a pot of boiling water as is done in many kitchens. Most of us if we stay here long enough will find ourselves facing a bowl of shrimp which, since they are still alive, may flip themselves off the serving dish to be recaptured, peeled and swallowed, or a freshly sashimied lobster which is still quivering. The thought is not appealing, but the taste is delicious. The first time, such a dish is usually sampled as a social requirement. Later, one may hope that it will be on the menu.

There are exceptions. Mine are small fish that are served in a bowl over a heater, swimming in a broth until they become too hot. Then they bore into a cake of tofu to create your entree.

While some people have strong feelings against having foods presented to them alive, they may be ignoring the consideration for foods that may be customary in other cultures. For example, here in Japan there is a sense of gratitude toward food, apparent in the many examples of offerings that are made at shrines for the spirits of the foods we eat. There is probably not a fishing center in Japan that does not have a sacred monument to fish where fishermen and tradespeople will pause in the midst of a busy day to say thanks to the fish for a good catch or a good sale. I have gone to shrine festivals dedicated to sweet potatoes, pickles and ginger. Even Kentucky Fried Chicken execs have made annual pilgrimages to an appropriate shrine in gratitude to the chickens that have contributed so generously to their success. While the grace that is said before eating in many Christian homes expresses gratitude for the food on the table, the sacrifice of the food itself is not a consideration.

Still, there is no excuse for cruelty. Little boys must be taught not to pull legs off insects and to take care of their pets. Several of the letters concerned dogs that are short-chained to their kennels. Their masters apparently are unaware of their suffering -- no blankets in winter, no water or shade in the summer. Generally when such cases are reported, someone is sent to talk to the owner who often appears to be unaware of the pet's discomfort. Usually changes will be made to make the pet more comfortable.

Those who complain must realize that while dogs may be limited in the amount of space they are allowed, often their owners are too. Remember all the rabbit-hutch reporting a few years ago. We must concentrate on what can be done -- protection from excessive heat and cold, proper food and care, daily exercise and affection -- requirements we all have regardless of our allotted amount of space.