Ivory towers: an assessment of Japan’s ivory trade and domestic market
Japan remains one of the world’s largest domestic ivory markets, and is home to an active, though shrinking, ivory manufacturing industry. The country also boasts significant stockpiles of raw tusks in private ownership—a cultural legacy from its past trade. Ivory Towers: An Assessment of Japan’s Ivory trade and domestic market, a TRAFFIC study, presents the findings from surveys and interviews conducted in both physical and online markets in Japan between May and September 2017. The report has revealed the growing trend for ivory in Japan’s domestic antiques and tourist markets to be routinely purchased by visitors and agents for illegal ivory exports.