Save cats of Hatsushima Island, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
Originally cats didn't exist in Hatsushima. The islanders brought them from mainland in order to get rid of rats.
When those rats disappeared the islanders decided to get rid of those cats by starving them since they didn't need cats anymore.
Known as resort island, however, tourists fed the cats and population grew because they aren't neutered.
Then, the islanders began to patrol, made children to draw posters and put them to the places which tourists would see.
This succeed and now cats are thin as paper and very ill.
Finding out about this problem, a volunteer group "Shizuoka Doubutsu Aigo InuNeko Hot Line" decided to save the cats.
The group suggested about TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return Program) but the City refused.
Now the members of group are feeding and trying to move the cats to a shelter little by little.
One islander told them "You should catch them and feed to the animal in zoo. That's what we used to do."
Mayor of the island told them "Animal volunteers are cult."
Shizuoka Prefecture wrote on the website "Volunteers are telling that we are poisoning the cats." which none of the volunteer member said.
Atami City ordered the group to shut down the website because it will be damage to tourism income if the people outside of the city know the truth.
Cyber Agent,Inc. cancelled accounts of bloggers who were posting article about Hatsushima without warning.
Unlike the West, Japan is notorious for animal cruelty.
But also Japanese government worries about what other nation think about Japan.
So, please tell your friends about the truth of Japan.
Thank You.
Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet
http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/index-e.html
Cabinet Secretariat, Cabinet Public Relations Office,
1-6-1 Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8968, JAPAN
http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/forms/comment.html
Shizuoka Prefectural Government
http://www.pref.shizuoka.jp/a_foreign/english/index.html
9-6 Otemachi, Aoi-ku, Shizuoka City 420-8601, JAPAN
web-kokusai@pref.shizuoka.lg.jp
Atami City Office
1-1 Chuo-cho, Atami City, Shizuoka 413-8550, JAPAN
koho@city.atami.shizuoka.jp
hisho@city.atami.shizuoka.jp
Hatsushima Business Cooperative
209-1 Hatsushima, Atami City, Shizuoka 413-0004, JAPAN
info@hatsushima.com
Embassies, Consulates, Permanent Missions Overseas
http://www.mofa.go.jp/about/emb_cons/over/index.html
