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This is the translation of a text picked from the homepage of the Japanese Society of Laboratory Animals

Petition regarding the amendment to the "Law concerning the Protection and Control of Animals" (addressed to the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan)

These days the LDP is discussing an amendment to the "Law concerning the Protection of Animals" with the purpose of raising the standards of animal care in the country. The amendment will further the proper management and care of companion animals (pets), exhibition animals, and wild animals, which we would certainly welcome as people being concerned with laboratory animals.

That laboratory animals should be treated with good care goes without saying. However, laboratory animals should be set aside as a special group since they are used in facilities where research is conducted on the principles of creativity and open-mindedness, and they are naturally treated differently from companion animals.

Many scientists point out that if animal experiments were to be subjected to rules and regulations which would deprive them of the autonomy currently enjoyed by their colleagues in Europe and America, they would be less able to respond to the needs of society, and that the progress of medical and biological research would also be impeded.

Following a directive of the Ministry of Culture and Education in 1985, our country embarked on a system of self-regulations for researchers and other people handling laboratory animals. Since then, the development of the medicinal and biological sciences and their peripheral industries has been smooth, and the environment in which laboratory animals are cared for has steadily improved.

We further agree that, in order to gain the understanding of the public, information of a nonconfidential nature must be made widely accessible. While striving not to infringe academic freedom, the Japanese Society of Laboratory Animals sincerely endeavours to improve the care of laboratory animals, which are nonetheless a necessity.

Our society has historically considered animal experiments and laboratory animals as two faces of the same coin, has observed and honoured the rules and regulations governing the use of laboratory animals, and promoted the health and welfare of our population. The Japanese Society of Laboratory Animals shall continue its sincere efforts to improve the care of laboratory animals which are nonetheless needed by society.

The current form of the amendment to the "Law concerning the Protection and Control of Animals" exempts people conducting experiments on animals. We politely request that the exemption be extended to people "handling laboratory animals."

18 March 1999
Japanese Society of Laboratory Animals (Inc)
Mitsuoka Kazuashi, President

This petition was submitted to the LDP subcommittee on the Environment, head of the environmental section Suzuki Hisao, and subcommittee head Sugiura Masatate.