Eighty-seven species of reptile are currently recorded as living in the wild in Japan. Some of these
species are designated as protected species under Japan’s national legislation for ecological or cultural
reasons. While some of these species are traded internationally, clarifications are still needed
regarding trade dynamics as well as the legal system regulating this trade. This report presents an
overview of the Japanese domestic legal system with regard to Japanese reptiles and the trade in
Japanese endemic reptiles in Hong Kong and key cities in mainland China, as these locations have
been identified as key trade hubs for wildlife products and are geographically close to Japan and
illustrative of the international trade from Japan.