Association ofofWUdlifeandHumanSociety Wildlife and Human Society Biospherc Conservution 1 (1) :63-71,1998 Japanesepeoples'attitudestoward wolves andtheir reintroduction into Japan Caitlin B. Angelii', Naoki Maruyamai', Masaaki Koganezawa2', Masao [Ibkahashi', and Sakura Chineni" 7apan JiblfAssociation, Laboratory of P-itdlijle Cbnservation, Department ofEcoregion Science, Facudy ofAgriculture,clo7bkyo IVbko Ulrtiversiol 3-5-8 Saiwai-cho, Richu, lbkyo, 183-8509 Jbpan i Laboratot[y of Mldlijle Conservation, Department ofEcoregion Sciencq faculty ofAgriculturq lbkyo IVbko UhiversicM 3-5-8 Saiwai-cho, Fltch", 7bkyq 183-8509 Japan 2UtsunomiyaU}tiversity fiorests,Z556 Funyu, Shiaya-machi, Shiqya-gun, 7bchigi, 329-2441 Japan Abstract We conducted a survey on Japanese peeples' attitudes concerning wo}ves and their reintroduction into Japan during the summer and fa11 of 1996. The survey was distributed to 2,OOO individuals. Surveys were returned by 1,176 people, 649 females and 508 males ranging from theii teens to over 80 years old; a response rate of 58.8%. IfXventy-eight point five percent of the respondents suppo rted reintroduction of wolves into Japan, and 27.7% were opposed, The remaining 43,8% were undecided. Tlie rnain reasons for supporting reintroduction were the beliefs that it is our duty to restore what we ence caused to become extinet and that the wolfis essential to restore the balance of Japan's ecosystems. [[he main reason for not supporting reintroduction was the beliefthat there is no space in Japan large eneugh to support a viable wolf population. Securing adequate land was also an important management concern, should we]ves be introduced. Compared to the results of the 1993 survey, the percentage ofpeopte sup- porting reintreduction has more than doubled, while the percent ofpeople opposing reintrocluction has decreased from 45.0% to 27.7%. Based on crosschecking, a greater percentage of supporters were knowledgeablc about the wolfthan epponents. In addition, cempared with the supporters, a greater percentage ofthe reintroduction oppo- nents had a negative attitude towards wolves. Key words: wolg Japan, reintroduction, questionnaire survey, pub]ic attitudes INTRODUCTION (Hiraiwa, 1981). A thorough review of the extirpation of wolves from Japan has been done by Maruyama et Wolves existed historically throughout Japan from al. (1996). Hokkaido to Kyushu. Tliere were two wolfeco-types, Since the 1980s the ecosysterns ofJapan have been including the Ezo wolf (danis lupus hattai Kishida) suffering from lack of major predators, including man. of Hokkaido, Etorofu and Kunashiri and the Japanese The numbers of hunters in Japan has decreased from wolf (Cbnis lupus hodophil`zx [[bmminck) ofHonshu, 530,OOO in 1986 to approximately 200,OOO in 1995 Shikoku and Kyushu. Currently, no wolves exist in (Environment Agency Japan, 1970-95). In addition, Japan. The last documented Ezo wolfwas killcd in it has been reported that global warming caused an 1896 in Hokkaido (Inukai, 1933), and the last docu- expansion ofsika deer wintering grounds in Nikko (Li mented Japanese wolf was collected as a specimen et al,, 1996), a phenomenon that may be expected to from Washikaguchi, Nara Prefecture, by Malcom occur elsewhere. Sika deer popu]ations have increased, Anderson in 1905 on an expedition for the Zoological due in part to these conditions, and damaged natuTal Society of London and the Museum of Great Britain and artificial forests in many areas throughout Japan 63 NII-Electronic Library Service Association ofofWUdlife Wildlife and Human Society BiosphereConservation 1 <1), 1998 (e,g, Kaji et al., 1984; Hoshino et al., 1987; Kanamori, METHODS 1991; MaTuyama & [rbkida, 1996; Kanzaki et al., 1998). In the past the wolf countered such circum- A questionnaire similar to that of Kanzaki et al. stances as top predator capable of maintaining natu- (1996) was used to conduct a survey during the sum- rally balanced sika deer populations; however, cuT- mer and fa11 of 1996 on Japanese peoples' attitudes rently only httmans are capable of controlling sika deer, concerning wolves and their reintroduction into Japan. a task that is difficult, time-consuming and expensive. The questionnaire censisted of four components: 1) a Not only is it difficult, but impossible for humans to demographic section consisting of five questions, 2) a adequately fill the ecological niche left open by the knowledge of the Japanese wolf section consisting of extirpation of the wolf. In addition, there are no other five questions, 3) an interest and image of the wo]f large predators in Japan besides the brown bear of section consisting of six questions, and 4) a reintro- Hokkaido (Inukai et al., 1985; Kadosaki et al., 1991). duction section consisting of four questions. The rein- Thus, to return to a balanced ecosystem it may be ar- troduction section included a question asking for the gued that the reintroduction of the wolf is the only opinion of all respondents, regardless of their position long-term solution, Furthermore, some argue that be- on the reintroduction issue, concerning management cause humans are responsible for the extirpation of policies that they felt needed to be addressed if wolves the wolL it is therefore our duty to restore them, For were reintroduced into Japan. these reasons, the Japan Wolf Association (JWA) is [[XNo thousand surveys were distributed to friends, of the JWA now promoting wolf reintroduction. Possibilities of coworkers and acquaintances by members wolf reintroduction to some parts ofJapan have al- and mailed back upon completion. readybeenexploredthroughahabitatavailabilitystudy was analyzed by the chi-square test to iden- Data tify the opinion of males and as ([[hkahashi & Maruyama, 1996), diffeTencesin females were Public support and involvement are necessary ifthe well as different age groups. Three age groups to twenties), reintroduction of the wo]f is to be a long-term suc- designated, including age group 1 (teens cess. NumeTeus studies have been carried out that age group 2 (thirties and forties) and age group 3 (fifi document the importanoe ofpublic opinion in the suc- ties and over). In addition we used the chi-square test cess of wolf reintroduction (e.g. Kellert, 1985, 1990; to analyze differences in characteristics between rein- Bath, 1987, 1992; Lohr et al., 1996; Pate et al., 1996). troduction supporters and opponents. In particular, we Public opinion surveys are thus necessary because they crosschecked three categories: 1) personal informa- help to identify a basis for better pub]ic representation tion, 2) the knowledge questions, and 3) the inteTest/ and education (BTight & Manfred, 1996). Upon the image questions. WheTe applicable, results were com- formation of the Japan Wolf Association in 1993, an pared to the initial suTvey conducted in 1993 by the initial survey was immediately carried out to deter- JWA (Kanzaki et al., 1996). mine the public's knowledge of wolves and level of reintroduction support (Kanzaki et al., 1996). Since RESUI:IrS that time, there has been extensive media coverage on wolf ecology and reasons why reintToduction is nec- One thousand, one hundred and seventy-six surveys essary, largely through effbrts of the JWA. were received; a response rate of58.8%. Respondents The purpose of this paper is to document the re- consisted of 649 females and 508 males (19 unknown). sults of that effort on public opinion, differences in There were 400 people in age class 1 (34.2%), 465 generalcharacteristicsofreintroductionsupportersand people in age class 2 (40.3%), and 292 people in age opponents, and give direction for the future wolf rein- class 3 (25.3%) (plus 3 unknown). The majority of troductionmovement. people surveyed worked for private enterprises at 64 NII-Electronic Library Service Association ofofWUdlifeand Wildlife and Human Society BiosphereConservation 1 (1), 1998 fable 1. Wblfinformation sources based on the attitude survey "yes," "no" Japan, only 10.8% said while 31,3% said conducted during the summer and fall of 1996. Duplicate "don't and 57.1% said that they know." answerswereaccepted(n=1,176). Information Source n % Interests and Images Tl V. Documentary 6504604222872832462262041oo92906e265S,339.135.924.424.120.919.217.3 Forty-six seven of the respondents had Fairy 1laleBook point percent a special wolves. Of those about Animals interestin (n=545)people Newspaper who do have an interest in wolves, 54,9% want to know Pictufe Book more about why wolves became extinct in Japan, FriendsT. People were six cheiees to identify their given im- Y News age ofwolves, of which they could choose as many as FictiousNovel "wild" they wanted. The most popular answer was Biology 1lext 85 "clever" "strong" followed by OthersTl 7.8 (67.6%) (38.7%), "ferocious" "mysterious" Y Drama 7.75.1 (29.5%), (27.7%), (27.7%) "cute" Book about lklolves and (5.2%). Journal Article 22 Only 9.4% of respondents said that they dislike wolves while 24.7% said that they like wolves. The remaining 65,8% said that they neither like nor dislike 31,2% fo11owed by students at 16.8%, housewives at wolves.Themostpopularreasonfordislikingwolves, `twolves 14.4% and public officia]s at 12.8% (Appendix 1). at 59.1%, was because are dangereus as they Eighty-four point two percent of respondents lived in attack people." Other reasons included the beliefs that the city (Appendix 2). As for district, 46.5% were wolves are dangerous because they attack and ki]1 live- from the Kanto district, which includes the Tokyo stock (28.2%), wolves ki]1 and eat other wild animals Metropolitan. This was fo11owed by people from (23.6%), wolves are a]ways the villain in stories Hoklcaido at 13.1%, lbhoku at 12.1%, Kinki at 10.5%, (21,8%) and they are ferocious (20,9%), Only O.9%, and Kyushu at 5.5% (Appendix 3). one person, said that they dislike wolves because they kill and eat game animals (Table 2). The most popu- "feel- Knowledge of Wolves lar reason for liking wolves was because of a Duplicate answers were accepted fbr wolf informa- ing" (62.8%).