Monkeys
from the wild into Japanese laboratories
Raise your voice NOW!
ALIVE
News 25
September, 1999
Oita City's Takasaki
nature park is on of Japan's natural heritage sites, and
a visit to the resident wild Japanese monkeys is a major source
of enjoyment for tourists. However, we have learnt that the very
same park has recently captured hundreds of monkeys without permission,
and passed them on to research laboratories.
The wild Japanese
monkey is a primate
indigenous to Japan
and listed in the
red data book of
the IUCN (International
Union for Conservation
of Nature and Natural
Resources) as close
to extinction. In
Japan however, it
is considered a pest
harmful to crops,
hunted without restriction,
and killed or sent
to research laboratories.
In the background
are the researchers,
seeing the monkey
as a resource which
because of its harmfulness
can be procured in
virtually limitless
numbers, and do not
think twice about
using them in an
experiment.
Having scoured a
success in fighting
the bad habit of
selling cats and
dogs to experimentors,
we are now facing
this new problem.
We strongly oppose
the practice of handing
over monkeys as pests
to research laboratories
for the following
reasons:
- Wild animals
must not be used
in experiments
- Animals in the
wild belong to
the community.
Even when they
are sometimes "eradicated",
the animals must
not be left to
experimentors
and related persons,
for the benefit
of few. Also,
since origin,
medical history,
and age of wild
animals are unknown,
individual differences
make results
of medical experiments
useless.
-
Species close
to extinction may
not be used in
experiments
- The Japanese
monkey is listed
in the international
edition of the
Red Data Book
as close to extinction.
Although it appears
that in certain
regions of Japan
numbers are recovering
through breeding,
their existence
in Japan as a
whole is under
threat due to
habitat loss
and fragmentation.
Once a route
has been opened
for such a rare
animal to be
used in experiments,
demand will take
precedence over
protection.
-
The same protection
for primates as
for humans
- Primates including
the Japanese
monkey are the
closest relatives
of the human
species, and
feel psychological
stress and physical
pain much like
us. Hence experiments
on primates are
equal to experiments
on humans. Performing
such experiments
in the backroom,
unchecked and
allowing no discussion
of the wider
theoretical implications,
is in contravention
of societal norms.
-
Towards legal
regulation of animal
experiments
- Japan is alone
among developed
nations not to
control animal
experiments by
law, permitting
researchers to
perform in secret
any cruel experiment
whatsoever. The
laboratory is
transformed into
a secret chamber
where things
happen well hidden
from public scrutiny,
and from where
no information
ever emerges.
Performing experiments
on primates under
these conditions
is reminiscent
of the practices
of the notorious
Unit 731 or the
Nazis, deeply
shocking and
repugnant.
Please, send a letter
or fax to
Mr. Keinosuke Kinosita, Mayor of Oita City
2-31 Niagemachi, Oita City 870-8504, Japan
Fax +81 97 537 5656
Mr. Morihiko Hiramatsu, Governor of Oita Prefecture
3-1-1 Otemachi, Oita City 870-0022, Japan
Fax +81 97 532 5650
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