CITES Ban on domestic ivory trade put on hold

August 22, 2019

Tokyo--A subcommittee of an international convention on the protection of endangered species Wednesday agreed not to adopt a resolution calling for a shutdown of domestic ivory markets, Japanese Environment Ministry officials said Thursday.

Instead, the subcommittee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora agreed that Japan and other countries with domestic ivory markets will report measures to prevent illegal trade next year.

"Japan's position was well understood by other countries," Environment Minister Yoshiaki Harada said at a press conference in Tokyo.

International ivory trade is already prohibited in principle under CITES, which is also known as the Washington Convention.

In 2016, CITES signatory nations adopted a resolution calling for a shutdown of domestic ivory markets that contribute to poaching or illegal trade.

This time, nine countries, including Kenya and Nigeria, submitted a resolution seeking to shut down all domestic ivory markets. Jiji Press