A recent inquiry conducted by animal welfare proponents has revealed that horses transported for slaughter in Japan are still experiencing harm, sickness, and fatalities, prompting renewed calls for Canada to prohibit these exports.
Kaitlyn Mitchell, the director of legal advocacy at Animal Justice, expressed concerns about the ongoing deaths and collapses of horses during flights to Japan. The report, compiled in collaboration with Japan-based Life Investigation Agency (LIA) and the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition (CHDC), emphasized the inhumane nature of bulk horse shipments from rural areas in Canada to Japan for slaughter.
Retired Conservative senator Donald Plett, while against banning the shipments, suggested that Ottawa should demand more stringent reporting standards and accountability for incidents where horses are injured or perish during transport.
Statistics Canada data indicated that in 2023, 2,512 horses were exported to Japan for slaughter, amounting to $19 million in value. The industry involves around five export firms and numerous producers primarily located in Alberta, with some in Manitoba and Ontario.
In Japan, horsemeat is often served raw as a delicacy known as sashimi, basashi, or sakura niku.
An examination of Government of Japan records from 18 shipments of approximately 1,822 horses from Edmonton and Winnipeg between September 2024 and September 2025 was conducted by Animal Justice and LIA. The groups cross-referenced this Japanese data with Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) documents obtained by CHDC through information requests. The investigation revealed that nine horses died due to illness or injuries during transport, with almost 300 others experiencing various health issues such as lacerations, infected wounds, swollen abdomen, and fever.
Despite the discrepancies between Japanese and CFIA records regarding horse conditions and incidents during transport, concerns persist about the welfare of horses being exported from Canada to Japan. Animal rights advocates continue to push for better oversight, stricter regulations, and ultimately, a ban on live horse exports for slaughter.
