Crime Osaka man arrested for feeding pigeons

Here's another curious "crime": a man in Osaka was arrested for defying a municipal ordinance against feeding pigeons.


A resident in Osaka was referred to prosecutors on 30 April after repeatedly feeding pigeons and crows despite a formal stop order from the city. Officials said it is the first criminal case of its kind in Japan. The case centres on the area around JR Abikocho Station in Sumiyoshi Ward, where complaints about large numbers of birds have persisted for years.


People living nearby said the problem has been persistent. Laundry gets soiled, they said, and bicycle seats are often covered in droppings. Some residents said they had even been hit directly from above, which they described as not unusual in the area. There are regular flocks of pigeons lifting off all at once. The noise is constant, residents said, and the mess comes from both pigeons and crows. It has not really eased.

The issue is widely believed to stem from people feeding the birds. That has been going on for more than a decade and involves more than one person. The city has tried various measures in the past, including releasing hawks, natural predators, but those efforts have had little effect.

In 2024, Osaka City issued a rare administrative order instructing those responsible to stop feeding the birds, and later filed a criminal complaint with police. About a year and a half after the complaint, police referred one resident to prosecutors on suspicion of violating the Animal Welfare Act. The individual has reportedly admitted to the allegations during voluntary questioning. This marks the first time in Japan that feeding pigeons has led to a case under the Animal Welfare Act, and if prosecuted and found guilty, the individual could face a fine of up to 500,000 yen. City officials say there are limits to what municipalities can do, as no law directly prohibits feeding birds.

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