Japan will study animal cafes this year

Japan's Ministry^*1 of the Environment is going to study animal cafes^*2. The ministry is the part of the government that takes care of nature and animals. It wrote about the plan in a paper for a meeting on July 23, 2026. The meeting was the 66th meeting of the animal welfare^*3 group of the Central Environment Council, a group of experts^*4 that advises the government. The paper says the ministry plans to look at the situation of animal cafes and their problems this fiscal year^*5.

The paper was a check on Japan's basic plan for the care of animals. This plan says the government should think about the many ways people use animals for looking at them and touching them. Each way has good points and problems. Touching animals can be good for people's hearts and feelings. But the animals must also stay healthy and safe. For example, they must not get infectious diseases^*6. The plan says the government should think about both sides.

Japan already has rules for dogs and cats at animal businesses. The rules say how to care for the animals, and they include touching. The ministry made these rules in 2021. Rules for other mammals^*7 are now being discussed by the council. Rules for reptiles^*8 are being discussed by another study group. The study of animal cafes is the next step in this work. The ministry plans to do it this fiscal year.

1. *1 ministry: a big office of the government that does one kind of work
2. *2 animal cafes: shops where people can see and touch animals while they have a drink
3. *3 animal welfare: the good care and good life of animals
4. *4 experts: people who know a lot about one subject
5. *5 fiscal year: the year a government uses for its plans and money; in Japan it runs from April to March
6. *6 infectious diseases: sicknesses that can pass from one animal or person to another
7. *7 mammals: animals that give milk to their babies, like dogs, rabbits and mice
8. *8 reptiles: animals like snakes, lizards and turtles