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.