In many parts of the country, wild animals are being targeted for food as well as to protect farmers' crops.

In the Chubu region, two nonprofit organizations from Aichi Prefecture — Chubu Ryoyukai (Hunters Group in Chubu) in Okazaki and Voluntary Neighbors in Nagoya — are planning to start a business supplying boar meat and venison to restaurants.

According to the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry, boars caused about ¥5.4 billion worth of crop damage in fiscal 2008, while deer caused about ¥5.8 billion — losses that have sparked a nationwide movement to hunt wild animals for cooking.