Domestic ivory trade in Japan is controlled by the \u201cLaw for Conservation of Endangered Species\u201d (LCES). The key of the controls is the regulation \u201cprohibiting transferring or receiving ivory without registration\u201d.<\/p>\n
However, the regulated \u201civory\u201d is limited to \u201ctusks maintaining their whole shape\u201d. Ivory cut pieces and products not maintaining the original silhouette like a crescent can be traded without registration.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.jtef.jp\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/27\u3000\u307f\u304c\u304d\u7259-300x207.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
But, in other words, is it true ivory trade has been effectively regulated as long as whole tusks are concerned? That\u2019s not true, also.<\/p>\n
Needless to say, some legal requirements for allowing registration are set in place. Only the whole tusks imported into or obtained in Japan before January 18 1990 when international ivory ban was implemented can be registered. (Some whole tusks imported after the date as formally permitted ones as the exemption of international ban could be registered. But, no such case has been seen since 2010.)<\/p>\n
In the case, it is crucial for the registration scheme to be meaningful \u201cto prove correctly that the date of acquisition is before January 18 1990\u201d.<\/p>\n
However, the \u201cJapan Wildlife Research Center\u201d http:\/\/www.jwrc.or.jp\/service\/cites\/regist\/kikan\/1.htm<\/a>, under the direction of MoE, has accepted a line dropped by a family member or friend of registration applicants (the \u201cthird party witness\u201d as MoE calls), who claims \u201cI saw the ivory tusks in his house long time ago.\u201d No surprises, Japan Tiger and Elephant Fund (JTEF), Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA US)<\/a> and other conservation groups have repeatedly criticized the policy \u201clegalizing whole tusks with unknown origin getting registration endorsement\u201d. In fact, Miyagi and other Prefectural Polices cracked down organized fraudulent registration and recommended MoE to close the loophole of registration procedure. But, MoE ignored the recommendation and intends to continue the slippery practice until the end of this month (June).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The \u201ctightening\u201d recently announced by MoE is, specifically, \u201cto require an objective supporting proof including the results of carbon-dating for the third party witness which is to be submitted as the evidence proving the pre-ban date of acquisition claimed by the applicants for registration\u201d.<\/p>\n Finally, MoE changed its mind so that it will be \u201cno more satisfied simply by a third party witness\u201d. Because carbon-dating method cannot identify when the ivory tusk was obtained by the registration applicants, it is only designated as a \u201csupporting proof\u201d of the third party witness.<\/p>\n But, the real problem or \u201clegalizing whole tusks with unknown origin getting registration endorsement\u201d would not be resolved by this new policy.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The first issue is that the protocol prepared by MoE for sampling a whole tusk to be tested should make it impossible to definitely confirm whether the ivory sampled and the whole tusk to be registered are same or not<\/u>.<\/p>\n According to the protocol, the applicant has to sample the whole tusk to be applied for registration by himself, send the sample to the institution he chose and submit the result to the Japan Wildlife Research Center.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.jtef.jp\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/190608photos-of-sample-300x203.jpg\")
<\/p>\n