Bourbon Sets Numerical Targets, MAFF Reforms Slaughter: Animal Welfare Award 2026 Announced
The certified NPO Animal Rights Center announced the winners of the "Animal Welfare Award 2026." Bourbon, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and Tanzawa Farm were recognized for initiatives such as procurement policies with numerical targets and policy reforms in slaughter, signaling structural changes in Japanese livestock farming.
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- 📰 Published: May 7, 2026 at 17:40
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The certified NPO Animal Rights Center has announced the winners of the "Animal Welfare Award 2026," which recognizes initiatives that have significantly impacted the improvement of animal welfare for farmed animals in Japan.
This year, the awards recognized signs of structural change in Japanese livestock farming, including two companies that introduced procurement policies with numerical targets and a national policy that took steps to improve slaughter methods.
The three winning organizations are as follows:
Bourbon Co., Ltd. (Chicken Award)
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Chicken Award)
Tanzawa Farm Co., Ltd. (Pig Award)
https://www.hopeforanimals.org/animal-welfare-award/
Animal Welfare Award 2026
■ Background: Japan's Animal Welfare Lags Behind the World
Japan's efforts in animal welfare for farmed animals have significantly lagged behind the rest of the world. While the world is moving towards cage-free chickens and free-stall pigs, there are still not many initiatives by Japanese companies. Furthermore, many poultry slaughter methods in Japan still do not involve stunning, which is a global standard. This situation poses risks not only to animal welfare but also to food safety, hygiene, and international market competitiveness.
■ This Year's Evaluation Points: Concrete Progress through "Numerical Targets" and "System Reforms"
This year's awards recognized initiatives that involved quantitative commitments, which have been particularly lacking in Japan, and structural reforms at the policy level.
Each organization made significant efforts in its respective field. We sincerely respect the initiatives and decisions made by each company.
Chicken Award: Bourbon Co., Ltd.: Publicly announced a "5% and time-limited" cage-free target
Bourbon Co., Ltd., a long-established confectionery manufacturer, committed to improving animal welfare by expanding its procurement of cage-free eggs and publicly set its transition target at "5%". Furthermore, it has reported on the progress of its procurement.
By adopting an international standard target and demonstrating numerical targets and deadlines, the initiative can accelerate and have a positive impact on society. Bourbon's stance on information disclosure can also address the strict scrutiny from the global community and serves as a model for Japanese companies to emulate.
Chicken Award: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Nation establishes new subsidy framework for "mandatory stunning"
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, in its FY2025 supplementary budget, created a new subsidy framework, the "Advanced Model Poultry Processing Facility Development Project," to promote the implementation of pre-slaughter stunning at poultry processing plants, making the introduction of stunning equipment compliant with animal welfare mandatory.
This will serve as a stepping stone to eliminate slaughter without stunning, a major issue in Japan, and will support measures that lead not only to animal welfare but also to hygiene, food safety, and labor improvement.
The impact of the nation clearly stating its stance that "stunning with consideration for animal welfare is necessary" is significant and could mark a turning point for domestic poultry processing.
Pig Award: Tanzawa Farm Co., Ltd.: Impact on the supply chain through the transition of a trusted producer
Tanzawa Farm is a producer with a reputation for its unique animal welfare initiatives among conscious consumers, such as co-ops. It has accumulated experience in raising fattening pigs. This time, the company announced that it would transition 3-5% of its pregnant sows to free-stall systems by 2030.
The significance of this decision is profound; a trusted producer stepping towards free-stall for pregnant sows sets a clear direction for the entire supply chain. Its impact is quietly but surely spreading. This is a step forward for pig animal welfare in Japan.
What is the Animal Welfare Award?
The Animal Welfare Award is presented to companies that have been effective in promoting animal welfare in Japan in the previous year. The Animal Welfare Award is an initiative by the certified NPO Animal Rights Center, which works to improve the welfare of farmed and aquatic animals, to evaluate the most impactful initiatives for animal welfare improvement during the previous fiscal year (April 2025 to end of March 2026).
https://www.hopeforanimals.org/animal-welfare-award/
Towards an era where objectively evaluable numerical values are required
The initiatives in FY2025 were those where each company explored and tried to move forward with the largest possible strides. Bourbon and Tanzawa Farm demonstrated their sincerity and direction by openly presenting what they could do. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries clarified its stance on supporting farmers who undertake good initiatives. Animal welfare in Japan, which can still be called its dawn, will accelerate as all stakeholders take one step forward. This embodiment is
This year, the awards recognized signs of structural change in Japanese livestock farming, including two companies that introduced procurement policies with numerical targets and a national policy that took steps to improve slaughter methods.
The three winning organizations are as follows:
Bourbon Co., Ltd. (Chicken Award)
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Chicken Award)
Tanzawa Farm Co., Ltd. (Pig Award)
https://www.hopeforanimals.org/animal-welfare-award/
Animal Welfare Award 2026
■ Background: Japan's Animal Welfare Lags Behind the World
Japan's efforts in animal welfare for farmed animals have significantly lagged behind the rest of the world. While the world is moving towards cage-free chickens and free-stall pigs, there are still not many initiatives by Japanese companies. Furthermore, many poultry slaughter methods in Japan still do not involve stunning, which is a global standard. This situation poses risks not only to animal welfare but also to food safety, hygiene, and international market competitiveness.
■ This Year's Evaluation Points: Concrete Progress through "Numerical Targets" and "System Reforms"
This year's awards recognized initiatives that involved quantitative commitments, which have been particularly lacking in Japan, and structural reforms at the policy level.
Each organization made significant efforts in its respective field. We sincerely respect the initiatives and decisions made by each company.
Chicken Award: Bourbon Co., Ltd.: Publicly announced a "5% and time-limited" cage-free target
Bourbon Co., Ltd., a long-established confectionery manufacturer, committed to improving animal welfare by expanding its procurement of cage-free eggs and publicly set its transition target at "5%". Furthermore, it has reported on the progress of its procurement.
By adopting an international standard target and demonstrating numerical targets and deadlines, the initiative can accelerate and have a positive impact on society. Bourbon's stance on information disclosure can also address the strict scrutiny from the global community and serves as a model for Japanese companies to emulate.
Chicken Award: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Nation establishes new subsidy framework for "mandatory stunning"
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, in its FY2025 supplementary budget, created a new subsidy framework, the "Advanced Model Poultry Processing Facility Development Project," to promote the implementation of pre-slaughter stunning at poultry processing plants, making the introduction of stunning equipment compliant with animal welfare mandatory.
This will serve as a stepping stone to eliminate slaughter without stunning, a major issue in Japan, and will support measures that lead not only to animal welfare but also to hygiene, food safety, and labor improvement.
The impact of the nation clearly stating its stance that "stunning with consideration for animal welfare is necessary" is significant and could mark a turning point for domestic poultry processing.
Pig Award: Tanzawa Farm Co., Ltd.: Impact on the supply chain through the transition of a trusted producer
Tanzawa Farm is a producer with a reputation for its unique animal welfare initiatives among conscious consumers, such as co-ops. It has accumulated experience in raising fattening pigs. This time, the company announced that it would transition 3-5% of its pregnant sows to free-stall systems by 2030.
The significance of this decision is profound; a trusted producer stepping towards free-stall for pregnant sows sets a clear direction for the entire supply chain. Its impact is quietly but surely spreading. This is a step forward for pig animal welfare in Japan.
What is the Animal Welfare Award?
The Animal Welfare Award is presented to companies that have been effective in promoting animal welfare in Japan in the previous year. The Animal Welfare Award is an initiative by the certified NPO Animal Rights Center, which works to improve the welfare of farmed and aquatic animals, to evaluate the most impactful initiatives for animal welfare improvement during the previous fiscal year (April 2025 to end of March 2026).
https://www.hopeforanimals.org/animal-welfare-award/
Towards an era where objectively evaluable numerical values are required
The initiatives in FY2025 were those where each company explored and tried to move forward with the largest possible strides. Bourbon and Tanzawa Farm demonstrated their sincerity and direction by openly presenting what they could do. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries clarified its stance on supporting farmers who undertake good initiatives. Animal welfare in Japan, which can still be called its dawn, will accelerate as all stakeholders take one step forward. This embodiment is