Taiwan reminds travelers of fines for importing bear meat from Japan

台灣提醒遊客，從日本進口熊肉將面臨罰款。

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Travelers bringing canned bear meat with them from Japan face a maximum fine of NT$1.5 million (US$47,500) or a prison sentence of up to five years unless they apply for permission first, the Ministry of Agriculture said Wednesday.

A spate of bear attacks in Japan has led to the food sector launching the processing of bear meat. However, buying the products and taking them to Taiwan as a souvenir will not be easy, since the application process for permission might take three to four weeks, according to the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency.

The procedure involves the local government, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the stipulations of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, per CNA. Taiwan’s list of animals covered by the Act on Wildlife Conservation includes all types of bears and products made from the animals.

While some products including the meat of protected animals can be legally bought in some countries, they cannot be imported into Taiwan, the agency said. Without the required documentation, the traveler carrying the products can be prosecuted for smuggling and for breaking wildlife protection and animal quarantine laws.