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PRESS RELEASE: Japanese Retailers Willing to Sell Ivory Hanko for Illegal Export
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TOKYO, JAPAN – Investigations of Japanese hanko retailers revealed that many are willing to sell an ivory product knowing that it will be exported internationally despite most being aware that ivory export is illegal. A new report by the Japan Tiger and Elephant Fund (JTEF) and the Washington, DC-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), Willing to Sell: Snapshot Investigations of Ivory Hanko Retailers in Japan, details results from two investigations into ivory hanko retailers. The main findings of the investigations, which took place in summer and fall of 2020, found: In three large urban areas in Japan, 38 percent of the retailers were willing to sell an ivory hanko knowing it would be illegally exported. In 2018, the same retailers had…

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BLOG: Resonate across the globe in the World Elephant Day 2020, demands for closing the ivory market in Tokyo and Japan
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August 12th is World Elephant Day, a day to celebrate the world’s iconic elephants and their preservation and protection. Thousands of elephants are killed every year for their tusks to make trinkets including hanko or name seal stamp, and in some African regions, elephant populations are being completely decimated. Any existing ivory market is a threat to elephants everywhere. To address the threat of ivory trade, many governments have closed their ivory markets, to send a signal that ivory consumption is unacceptable and also to simplify enforcement. The United States, China, the United Kingdom and other ivory consuming nations have taken steps to shut down their domestic ivory markets. Japan’s ivory market, however remains open based on its firm policy,…

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BLOG: The “New Normal” Sharing The Earth with Living Creatures in The Wild
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The Covid-19 pandemic has been damaging human health, our daily lives and economy all over the world. As a consequence of the sudden standstill of many human activities, the living creatures in the wild are significantly affected somehow. They seem to be less pressured in their habitat than before the pandemic and have set about stretching their range to the limit, for example, tiger sightings have become more common in villages in India. This phenomenon may probably be because of stagnant tourism and development projects, and restricted daily movement of the residents. What’s happening to poaching and illegal trade of wild animals? Looking at the recent news, 6 elephants were killed with their tusks chopped off within just one day in…

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PRESS RELEASE: Tokyo urged to resurrect ivory trade assessment
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WASHINGTON/TOKYO (June 26, 2020)— Elephant advocates worldwide are urging the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, under Governor Yuriko Koike’s leadership, to complete Tokyo’s elephant ivory trade assessment, which is examining the trade in ivory in Tokyo prefecture, and propose measures to address it. As Tokyo embraces the “new normal” and continues to adapt to address COVID-19, the advocates are renewing their plea to protect elephants by urging the Tokyo government to immediately restart the Advisory Committee on Regulation of Ivory Trade, which has been suspended for four months. While Africa’s elephants continue to be poached for their ivory, the government of Japan has failed to adequately control the legalized domestic trade in ivory, and loopholes in the superficial regulations have facilitated illegal…

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BLOG: 2020 World Wildlife Day, a message from JTEF
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According to predictions, corona virus is unlikely to stop influencing things soon. Many people may feel it’s an unexpected disaster. But, it’s not true. This kind of incident could have happened at any moment. Our society has already experienced outbreak of SARS and subsequently, several types of bird flu, etc. The root of outbreak, even on a pandemic level, in some cases like these newly emerging infectious diseases, are the results of human beings stirring up the natural ecosystems violently, which have been diversified in each area of the planet.. We warned the same thing at that time, when SARS flourished, but have to repeat it now that we must reconsider about commercial exploitation, consumption and trade of wild animals not…

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Upcoming Events *Spring 2020*
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Due to the current CoVid19 spread in Japan, some of these events might be cancelled. Please check back before the event for more information or contact the event host to find out the latest. Please take care… The JTEF Staff 🐘 Kanazawa Zoo Fundraising Event March 20 ❤“Snack Time for Elephants”❤  visitors can give a snack to the Kanazawa Zoo’s elephant, JTEF will have a fundraising booth at the zoo.   (1 volunteer needed) Official time for event to be announced…probably 10:30AM – 3PM Share our FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/777387236092518 Closest station: Kanazawa Bunko (Keikyu Line) Plus, you will need an additional 20 mins by bus and walking to get to event area.   🌸Spring Love 2020 KeenFest At Yoyogi Park Mar 28 ・ 29 (Sat:…

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REPORTS: JTEF published “Emerging Problems Tarnish the Modest Progress on Protecting OUV of Iriomote Island”
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10/10/2019 JTEF and Yamaneko Patrol published a review on the nomination made by the government of Japan in January, 2019 of Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, the northern part of Okinawa Island and Iriomote Island for inscription on the World Heritage List. This report was developed for consideration by the experts of IUCN verification mission, ahead of their on-the-spot verification tour to Iriomote Island on October 11, 2019.

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Decision by Yahoo! Japan to End Ivory Sales Celebrated by Elephant Advocates
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Geneva, Switzerland Elephant advocates are celebrating reports that Yahoo! Japan, the world’s largest internet ivory retailer, has decided to end sales of elephant ivory on its platforms by November 1st, 2019. The decision was based on evidence that ivory purchased on Yahoo! was being exported illegally to China, according to inside sources. It comes on the last day of the global wildlife trade conference in Geneva where Japan’s domestic ivory market has been in the spotlight with a growing chorus of countries calling for its immediate closure. “This is great news for elephants,” said Danielle Grabiel, Wildlife Team Lead for the Washington, DC and London, UK based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA). “Yahoo has recognized what the Government of Japan still denies: Japan’s…

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