Film

Animal Protection Law

2021 · 1h 56m · Documentary

documentary, japanese, animal welfare

Exposing the Contradictions and Deception Behind Japan's Animal Welfare Act. In 2017, a former tax accountant was arrested for a series of cat killings in Saitama Prefecture. Despite the shocking brutality of the crimes, the court sentenced him only to a suspended prison term for violating the Animal Welfare Act—a ruling many viewed as little more than an empty gesture. The case horrified the nation, and more than 220,000 people signed petitions calling for a harsher punishment. Troubled by the glaring disconnect between public sentiment and the judicial system, the director spent four years conducting an independent investigation, confronting numerous animal abusers in an effort to uncover the deeper issues surrounding animal cruelty. What ultimately emerged was a deeply ironic picture: a legal system whose contradictions and shortcomings make Japan's Animal Welfare Act appear almost as if it were designed to protect animal abusers rather than their victims.

• Naotoshi KitadaDirector

動物愛護法・予告編

Release date

May 23, 2021

Status

Released

Original language

Japanese

Runtime

1h 56m

Genres

Documentary