Japanese cat market spending expected to near ¥3 trillion this 2025

Cat ownership in Japan is driving industry growth, sparking consumer spending and mergers and acquisitions.

Japan’s dog population has been steadily declining, but pet ownership has become a significant economic driver in a country with more cats and dogs combined than children under age 15.

According to Euromonitor, Japan’s cat and dog population decreased by more than 1.5% between 2018 and 2022. However, the decline has been driven largely by fewer dogs.

The Japan Pet Food Association previously told GlobalPETS that the country’s dog population dropped from 13 million in 2008 to 7.5 million in 2022. Strict regulations and limited residential space in urban areas have limited the growth of the dog population, which is the main driver of the pet industry in Western countries.

Data from Statista estimates that there were around 9.1 million pet cats in Japan in 2023, remaining relatively steady, while there were 6.8 million pet dogs.

Despite this trend, Japanese pet parents are spending heavily on their pets. Renowned economist Miyamoto Katsuhiro estimated that cat spending alone will reach ¥2.9 trillion ($19.6B/€18.6B) in 2025.

Trade volumes

Perhaps due to the limited growth in Japan’s pet population, the country has sparked limited interest from the Western pet industry. The country imports pet food primarily from Thailand, China and Korea, with the US coming in fourth in 2023.

With a limited domestic manufacturing base for pet food, Japan exports significantly smaller amounts than it imports, but its exports primarily go to other Asian countries.

The industry in Japan has recently seen some movement among corporate players. Sasaeah, an animal health company providing vaccines and pharmaceuticals for pets and livestock, was bought by the French firm Virbac in 2024.

Withmal, a veterinary services group in Japan, received a boost from the private investment firm L. Catterton in late 2023.