A recent probe conducted by animal welfare activists reveals that horses being transported for slaughter in Japan are still facing injuries, illnesses, and fatalities, sparking renewed calls for Canada to prohibit these shipments.
Kaitlyn Mitchell, the legal advocacy director at Animal Justice, emphasized the ongoing suffering of horses during these flights, stressing the inhumane nature of shipping horses from rural areas in Canada to Japan for slaughter.
Retired Conservative senator Donald Plett, while opposing a ban on shipments, advocates for stricter reporting standards and accountability in cases of horse injuries or deaths during transport.
Statistics from Canada indicate that in 2023, 2,512 horses were exported to Japan for slaughter, generating a total value of $19 million. The industry involves around five export firms and hundreds of producers predominantly based in Alberta, with some also in Manitoba and Ontario.
In Japan, horsemeat is served as a delicacy in dishes like sashimi, known as basashi or sakura niku.
An investigation by Animal Justice and the Life Investigation Agency (LIA) from Japan uncovered that during 18 shipments between September 2024 and September 2025 from Edmonton and Winnipeg, at least nine horses died due to illness or injury during transit. Additionally, nearly 300 horses suffered various health issues, including lacerations, hoof and eye wounds, fever, diarrhea, and some even collapsed.
Notably, discrepancies were found between Japanese records and Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) documents obtained by the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition (CHDC), indicating a lack of transparency in reporting incidents.
Despite these alarming findings, CFIA records did not reflect the deaths or injuries reported by the Japanese authorities, raising concerns about the accuracy of information available to the public regarding the welfare of horses in transit.
Efforts have been made to address the issue, such as updating paperwork requirements for exporters to include transfer time and reducing overall transport duration; however, advocates like Kaitlyn Mitchell argue that these measures are insufficient to ensure the well-being of horses during these journeys.
While debates continue on whether to ban live horse exports for slaughter, the push for more stringent regulations and accountability in the industry remains a focal point for animal welfare activists and concerned citizens.