From June 2022, revisions to Japan’s Law on Welfare and Management of Animals will go into effect and make microchipping of dogs and cats mandatory.

The new legislation aims at preventing people from abandoning pets and at helping people relocate lost animals. The cylindrical microchips, which are about two millimeters in diameter and one centimeter long, are injected into the skin at the back of the animal’s neck. Breeders and pet shops will be required to implant dogs and cats with chips that store a 15-digit identification number. Each number corresponds to a national database entry that includes the animal’s name, sex, breed, and coat color, along with the name of the business (breeder, pet shop) that is selling the animal. The data is updated with the new owner’s name, address, telephone number, and other information when the dog or cat is sold. According to the Japan Pet Food Association, there are an estimated 16.05 million pet dogs and cats in Japan.