bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Kyodo

A final pig rodeo competition has been held in western Japan after criticism the event is a form of animal abuse.
The festival in Seiyo, Ehime Prefecture, was held almost every year since about 25 years ago and was so popular that the number of applicants for the event’s swine rodeo riders was several times more than necessary, according to organisers.
Cambodia tour operator promises to reduce work hours for elephants after one died of heatstroke
In the final event on Saturday, 40 men and women from 12 to 53 years old took part. Most of the riders were bucked off the pigs in less than three seconds. They came from within Ehime Prefecture in western Japan and also from such prefectures as Fukushima, Hyogo and Kochi.


The event was launched in 1989 by local people including hog farmers to promote their community.
But the organisers have decided to cease the rodeo following not only the criticism but a drop in the number of local pig farmers and difficulty in raising necessary funds for the event.
The non-profit organisation Animal Rights Centre Japan collected signatures demanding a halt to the event, criticising it as animal abuse.
Chinese scientists tackle conundrum of why humans are brighter than animals with bigger brains
“I’ve been familiar with pigs from childhood and I don’t think its animal abuse. I’m worried that absence of the event will mean the absence of something through which we can promote our community,” said 66-year-old Tsuyoshi Maeda, chairman of the event’s executive committee.


Plug pulled on annual Japanese pig rodeo event after abuse outcry

The ‘pig rodeo’ was a summer event in the western Japanese city of Seiyo. Photo: Kyodo

News

Asia

East Asia