Request for abolishment of animal experiments for cosmetics targeting SHISEIDO

Our group, Japan Anti-Vivisection Association (JAVA), has been seeking the abolition of animal experiments in Japan.

As animal testing for cosmetics has been banned in EU since March 11, 2009, we took this opportunity to launch a campaign to seek the abolition of animal testing for cosmetics, targeting SHISEIDO, the largest cosmetic company in Japan. However, the company still refuses to stop animal testing despite our repeated cry against animal experiments.

In cosmetics and household products research, painful experiments are carried out on animals, including rabbits, mice, rats and guinea pigs. Animal testing is not legally required in Japan. Only when an additional ingredient is included in “the limitation on combinations of preservatives, ultraviolet absorbers and tar dyes (positive list)” or where the maximum acceptable quantity is changed, and in manufacturing the products, such as permanent wave solutions, hair dyes, or skin lightening/whitening cosmetics, classified as “quasi-drugs” containing new ingredients (the “quasi-drugs” is the classification used only in Japan and Republic of Korea and such products are regarded as “cosmetics” in the United States and EU), animal testing data is required. So it is possible for companies to manufacture ingredients, combination of ingredients and final formulations of cosmetics without animal testing. There are about 100 cruelty-free cosmetic companies listed in JAVA’s shopping guidebook for consumers “JAVA Cosmetic Guide”, but unfortunately SHISEIDO and other major companies keep conducting animal testing simply because they want to make excessive profits by patented medicinal properties.

In spite of the fact that since March 2009 the EU has banned animal experiments for cosmetics in EU countries and the sale of cosmetic products in EU countries for which animal experiments were performed outside the EU, SHISEIDO has been keeping making products for EU consumers from ingredients that are not tested on animals, despite the continuation of animal testing in Japan and other countries.

So EU consumers are still be in danger of buying products made by the company which keeps conducting animal testing in other countries It means that EU ban cannot protect EU consumers from cruel cosmetics.

A survey conducted by JAVA has revealed that approximately 90 percent of people say they would choose a brand that has not been animal-tested. Japanese consumers also want cruelty-free cosmetics. Japanese major companies should not ignore the global trend and should stop animal testing voluntarily. If they want to develop new ingredients, they should wait until alternative non-animal testing methods have been fully established.