Tag - pets

 
Menu
Search
 
July 01, 2026
 

Today's print edition

Home Delivery
Subscribe for more access

PETS

Sony is halting sales of its Aibo robotic dog in Japan, ending an era for the interactive pet that became an instant hit and developed its own personality.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 26, 2026
Sony discontinues Japan sales of Aibo robot puppy
The first iteration of Aibo came out in 1999, followed by numerous models over the years.
Jann Zhang, founder and principal of Paw3, a kindergarten for dogs, interacts with a dog in Shanghai on June 2.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Jun 17, 2026
China’s pet owners splurge on preschools to pamper puppies
As declining birth rates alter ⁠lifestyles, pets are increasingly treated as members of the family.
A cat rubs its body against silver vine. Researchers have found that cats typically prefer silver vine over catnip.
JAPAN
Jun 9, 2026
Japanese researchers find cats prefer silvervine over catnip
The team observed how cats would react to both silvervine and catnip when they were left to roam around freely.
Students at Sakashita Elementary School in Kasugai, Aichi Prefecture, bid farewell to Shiro, a guinea pig lent out to the school by a veterinary association, on March 12.
JAPAN / Society / Regional Voices: Chubu
May 4, 2026
Aichi veterinarians loan guinea pigs to schools for hands-on life lessons
With more schools opting not to keep classroom pets, vets are reducing the burden on schools by lending out guinea pigs for short-term stays.
The Institute for AIM Medicine filed for approval a treatment for chronic kidney disease in cats with the agriculture ministry.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 27, 2026
Japan startup seeks approval of cat kidney disease treatment
A trial showed the drug significantly extended the life of afflicted cats.
An Iwate University team said it has confirmed that cats' appetites wane once they get used to the smell of their food.
JAPAN
Apr 8, 2026
Japan team discovers why cats leave meals unfinished
The introduction of the scent of a different type of food brought back cats’ appetites, even though the cats were eating the same food throughout the experiment.
The value of China's growing urban pet market is estimated to reach 405 billion yuan ($59 billion) in 2028, according to a recent report by PetData.
ASIA PACIFIC
Apr 3, 2026
Streaming channel meant for pets launched in China
The new channel on Tencent Video — China’s most popular online streaming platform — is meant to keep pets company while alone or can be watched by animals and humans together.
Toru Akama pets a cat at his animal shelter in Namie, Fukushima Prefecture, on March 5.
JAPAN
Mar 18, 2026
Former Fukushima worker devotes life to abandoned pets
Toru Akama tends to dozens of pets abandoned after the catastrophe 15 years ago, work he sees as part of his quest for redemption.
Passersby walk past a billboard atop a building featuring a giant 3D cat in 4K resolution in Tokyo's Shinjuku district.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 25, 2026
Hello, little kitty — Japan’s $20 billion cat boom
In recent years, Cat Day has exploded, as companies embrace a growing market for felines.
Morinaga Chairman Eijiro Ota holds his pet dog Nono during a news conference in Tokyo on Thursday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 20, 2026
Morinaga launches treats that dogs and people can share
The company adapted its classic favorites, such as Moonlight cookies, to make them suitable for dogs.
A litter prevention warden draws circles around feces using yellow chalk at Kaiseizan Park in Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, on Dec. 5.
JAPAN / Society / Regional Voices: Tohoku
Jan 19, 2026
A Fukushima city launches Operation Yellow Chalk to battle dog fouling
The Koriyama Municipal Government hopes to prompt dog owners to voluntarily pick up dog feces and raise awareness of manners.
Having a dog at home likely helps alter adolescent children's microbiome to make them happier and have better social skills, according to a study.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Dec 25, 2025
Study shows having dogs likely boosts teens’ social skills
Children’s social skills are believed to be boosted by the vagus nerve, which runs through the intestine, stimulating the release of oxytocin.
In pet-loving Japan, the ways owners say goodbye to their dearly departed animals can mirror the ways they bid farewell to other humans.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Nov 29, 2025
In Japan, beloved pets receive human-style farewells
Japan has the highest rate of cremation in the world, and increasingly, that applies to departed pets as well.
Naoyuki Kayamoto (left) and Makoto Murakami of venture firm Hundred aim to launch a subsidiary in the United States.
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Fukushima
Nov 24, 2025
The Fukushima startup bringing a welfare perspective to animal testing
Naoyuki Kayamoto’s venture firm Hundred develops laboratory instruments that cause less stress to animals during experiments.
Emergency kit product for pets developed by Irish Ohyama
JAPAN
Aug 31, 2025
Japan boosting disaster preparedness for pets
A ministry official said there is no law making it mandatory to accept pets into shelters.
A dog looks through the bars of a cage at the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control as the shelter struggles with overcrowding caused by pets abandoned during recent immigration raids, in Downey, California, on July 29.
WORLD / Society
Aug 6, 2025
Trump’s immigration raids in LA affecting pets too
Dogs and cats are finding themselves in Los Angeles County’s care centers after their owners get detained or deported.
A month-old lion cub (center) is seen in front of two 8-day-olds at a breeding facility in Chachoengsao province, Thailand, on July 7.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Jul 29, 2025
‘Absolute madness’: Thailand’s pet lion problem
Thailand’s captive lion population has exploded in recent years, with nearly 500 registered in zoos, breeding farms, petting cafes and homes.
Dog ownership may seem daunting in Japan, but with the right tools and logistical knowledge, you can ensure a healthy, happy life for your pet.
COMMUNITY / How-tos
Jul 7, 2025
A furever friend: Tips for responsible dog ownership in Japan
Owning a dog in Japan may seem daunting, but having these tools and tips in mind can ease your journey and bring you lots of joy.
Japan is mad about pets, and the Interpets trade fair showed to what lengths some owners will go for their furry friends.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Jun 28, 2025
Cats, dogs, meerkats, goats: Interpets trade fair draws furry hordes
From June 19 to 21, a veritable animal kingdom (and their owners) descended on the Intex Osaka convention center to try new foods and meet new friends.
A rescued baby orangutan rests in a basket in Bangkok on May 14.
ASIA PACIFIC / Crime & Legal
Jun 11, 2025
Snakes on a plane highlight Thailand-India wildlife trafficking, NGO reports
Many of the animals seized are alive, showing demand for exotic pets is driving the smuggling trade, the nongovernmental organization said.
Uruguay federation reportedly cancels charter flight after World Cup exit
Uruguay's Jose Maria Gimenez reacts after the team's loss against Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday.
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
India’s gig workers pay the price for exposure to New Delhi’s hazardous air
Rohit Kushwaha waits for a customer as he delivers his last parcel of the day, in New Delhi in January. His work as a delivery driver has helped pay the family’s bills, but has had a significant impact on his health.
Yen hits 40-year low against the dollar, breaking ¥162 level
Japan's currency broke ¥162 to the dollar on Tuesday in Tokyo.
Japan falls in gut-wrenching fashion as Brazil strikes late to win World Cup clash
Brazil's Gabriel Martinelli (right) shoots past Japan defenders Shogo Taniguchi (left) and Takehiro Tomiyasu to score in the second half of a match in the round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Houston on Monday.
Japan’s fertility system offers few safe paths for same-sex couples
A Tokyo Pride parade participant holds a sign that says "we want to be a married couple, not a couple."
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
A French ship with close ties to Japan combines arts and sciences on the high seas
Romain Troublé, the executive director of Tara Ocean Foundation, speaks to visitors aboard the Tara during a rare port call in Tokyo in April.
In Kyushu’s far south, Senti.U sparks a culinary destination
Chef Yasuhiko Uchida was born in Saga Prefecture but has made his home in Kanoya, Kagoshima Prefecture, since 2012.
‘The colors speak for themselves’: How Japan’s chroma bible went global
“A Dictionary of Color Combinations” is meant to function as a quick-reference guide for artists, designers and anyone with a passing interest in aesthetics as a quantifiable pursuit.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

The Terasaka Rice Terraces are seen with Mount Buko in the background.
What Yokoze can teach Japan about rural revival
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

TDC Global challenges norms at Japan workplaces
TDC Global challenges norms at Japan workplaces

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS note

Read more

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER