Cats outnumber humans on Tashirojima

On the small Japanese island of Tashirojima, cats now outnumber humans by a significant margin. As of September 30, 2021, the island had more than 100 cats for just 55 residents, making it a unique place where felines are more common than people.

Cats were introduced for silkworm protection

The presence of cats on Tashirojima dates back to the island’s history in Japan’s sericulture industry. Silkworm farming was crucial to the local economy, but rodents posed a serious threat to the delicate process of raising silkworms. To protect the farms, the island’s residents introduced cats, which naturally prey on rodents.

Cats became part of the island’s identity

Over time, the cats that were originally brought to protect the silkworms became a permanent part of Tashirojima’s landscape. Their role as protectors evolved into a cultural symbol, and the island earned the nickname "Cat Island" due to the overwhelming number of cats compared to its human population.

Tashirojima’s size and accessibility

Tashirojima is a modest island, covering about 2.9 square kilometers with a coastline of 11.5 kilometers. It is accessible via a 40-minute ferry ride from the Ishinomaki port, making it a manageable destination for visitors despite its remote location.

Disaster threatened the island’s stability

The March 2011 earthquake and tsunami severely impacted the northeastern region of Japan, including Tashirojima. The island’s remote nature and aging population made recovery efforts challenging, but the community has since seen a gradual return to normalcy.

Aoshima faces similar challenges

The situation on Tashirojima is not unique. On Aoshima, in the Ehime prefecture, only four elderly residents live alongside about 80 cats. A sterilization campaign in 2018 reduced the cat population by more than half, and the remaining cats are aging, with many suffering from health issues due to inbreeding.

Okinawa villages show similar trends

The phenomenon extends beyond individual islands. In Okinawa, eight villages recorded fewer than ten births in 2023, with some recording zero births. This decline in population has prompted the Japanese Parliament to revise laws aimed at addressing the depopulation of remote islands and promoting tourism.

Aging and rural exodus shape Japan’s future

The dominance of cats in places like Tashirojima and Aoshima highlights a broader issue facing Japan: an aging population and the exodus of people from rural areas. While the coexistence of humans and cats may seem heartwarming, it reflects the difficult challenges of sustaining life in Japan’s most isolated regions.