SENDAI — On Tashiro Island in the Pacific, the fat cats outnumber the islanders.
About 100 increasingly obese cats live the good life in the fishing community alongside about 70 residents. They scarf down food given to them by a soaring number of tourists.
The cats have been the ticket to reinvigoration for this island located about one hour by ferry from Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture. The residents are on average older than 71 on the "island of cats," as it was introduced to the media.