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Japan approves ¥3.2bn from reserves to fight invasive beetle damaging cherry trees
Версия 2: Fresh reports add how the 3.2 billion yen is divided between the environment and agriculture ministries, the first detection of the pest in Aichi Prefecture in 2012, the remaining reserve-fund balance and a 6.7 billion yen request for invasive-species measures in the next fiscal year's budget.
Коротко
Japan's government decided on 6 October to spend 3.2 billion yen from fiscal 2026 reserve funds to control the red-necked longhorn beetle, an invasive species that damages cherry, plum and peach trees. The money is meant to promote and support control work by municipalities, including netting and pesticide. Outlets reported the pest was first confirmed in Japan in 2012 and that damage had spread to 22 prefectures by September 2026.
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Japan's government decided on 6 October to spend 3.2 billion yen from fiscal 2026 reserve funds on measures against the red-necked longhorn beetle, an invasive species that bores into and damages trees including cherry, plum and peach, according to Sankei Shimbun, Nikkei, Yomiuri Shimbun, TBS NEWS DIG and NHK. The money is intended to promote and support control work by municipalities, including installing netting and spraying pesticide, the reports said. Tokyo Shimbun and Nishi-Nippon Shimbun carried the same figure and focus in their headlines. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
Sankei reported the total is split into about 2.7 billion yen for environment ministry programmes — felling damaged trees, injecting pesticide and wrapping trees in netting to keep adult beetles out — and about 500 million yen for agriculture ministry work including surveys of damaged fruit trees. The environment ministry began accepting additional applications for its invasive-species control programme the same day, the newspaper said. [ 1 ]
Environment Minister Hiroyoshi Sasagawa said at a post-cabinet press conference that the damage is spreading rapidly and that the government wants to proceed with measures with a sense of speed, according to Sankei and Nikkei. Nikkei quoted him saying that municipalities' sense of crisis is also rising and that the government will use the reserve funds to push forward measures based on its control strategy. [ 1 , 3 ]
The beetle lays eggs in trees and its larvae eat the inner bark that carries nutrients, Yomiuri reported, adding that infested trees can die. Sankei said the insect was designated an invasive alien species in 2018, while Yomiuri said damage was first confirmed in Aichi Prefecture in 2012. The affected area had spread to 22 prefectures as of September 2026, Nikkei and Yomiuri reported; Sankei put the figure at 22 prefectures as of August. [ 1 , 3 , 6 ]
Yomiuri reported that the government set up a task force in July and compiled a nationwide control strategy in September, while Nikkei said the environment and agriculture ministries held a task force meeting in September and drew up a strategy to shrink the affected area. Under the plan, areas already invaded will see pesticide treatment of larvae and felling of damaged trees, while areas not yet reached will use netting, Yomiuri said. [ 3 , 6 ]
Yomiuri reported that the decision was taken at the morning cabinet meeting and leaves 708.9 billion yen in the general account reserve fund, and that the environment ministry has requested 6.7 billion yen for invasive-species measures, including the beetle, in the fiscal 2027 budget. [ 6 ]
Почему это важно
The spending turns a September control strategy drawn up by the environment and agriculture ministries into funded action, with municipalities as the main recipients of support. The beetle has kept widening its range since it was first confirmed in Japan in 2012, and the reports describe local authorities as increasingly alarmed, so the measure addresses an outbreak officials have flagged as urgent.
Ключевые факты
- The government decided on 6 October to spend 3.2 billion yen from fiscal 2026 reserve funds on controlling the red-necked longhorn beetle (クビアカツヤカミキリ). [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- The funds are intended to promote or support control efforts by municipalities, including installing netting and spraying pesticide. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 ]
- Sankei reported the total is split into about 2.7 billion yen for environment ministry programmes and about 500 million yen for agriculture ministry work, and that the environment ministry opened additional applications for its control programme the same day. [ 1 ]
- The beetle is a designated invasive alien species whose larvae eat trees such as cherry, plum and peach from the inside, and infested trees can die. [ 1 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
- Damage was first confirmed in Japan in 2012, and the affected area had spread to 22 prefectures by September 2026. [ 3 , 6 ]
- The environment and agriculture ministries drew up a control strategy in September aimed at shrinking the affected area. [ 3 , 6 ]
- Environment Minister Hiroyoshi Sasagawa said the damage is spreading rapidly, that municipalities' sense of crisis is rising, and that the government will push measures forward with speed. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Yomiuri reported the decision leaves 708.9 billion yen in the general account reserve fund, and that the environment ministry has requested 6.7 billion yen for invasive-species measures in the fiscal 2027 budget. [ 6 ]
Подтверждено несколькими источниками
- The government approved 3.2 billion yen from fiscal 2026 reserve funds for measures against the red-necked longhorn beetle. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- The measure is aimed at promoting or supporting control efforts by municipalities. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 ]
- The decision was made at a cabinet meeting on 6 October. [ 1 , 3 , 6 ]
- The red-necked longhorn beetle is designated as an invasive alien species. [ 1 , 5 ]
- The beetle damages trees such as cherry, plum and peach from the inside and can kill them. [ 1 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
- Damaged trees have been confirmed in 22 prefectures. [ 1 , 3 , 6 ]
- The environment and agriculture ministries produced a control strategy in September. [ 3 , 6 ]
Пока неясно
- Which municipalities or prefectures will receive the money and how it will be allocated geographically. Sankei gives a split between the two ministries but no outlet names recipient areas or describes a distribution plan.
- Whether the 22-prefecture count is as of August or September 2026. Sankei says the figure applies as of August, while Nikkei and Yomiuri say as of September.
- When the government task force on the beetle was set up. Yomiuri says the government set up the task force in July; Nikkei says the environment and agriculture ministries held a task force meeting in September.
- Any further specifics reported by Tokyo Shimbun and Nishi-Nippon Shimbun beyond their headlines. Tokyo Shimbun's article text was not readable and Nishi-Nippon Shimbun carried only a title.
Что пишут местные СМИ
Хронология, местное время
- The cabinet approves the spending at its morning meeting on 6 October. [ 6 ]
- Sankei Shimbun publishes the cabinet decision, reporting about 3.2 billion yen and a breakdown between the environment and agriculture ministries. [ 1 ]
- Nikkei and Tokyo Shimbun report the 3.2 billion yen decision and the focus on municipal control. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Nishi-Nippon Shimbun publishes its headline on the same decision. [ 4 ]
- TBS NEWS DIG reports the reserve-fund spending and describes how the larvae damage trees. [ 5 ]
- Yomiuri Shimbun adds the first detection in Aichi in 2012, the July task force, the control measures and the remaining reserve balance. [ 6 ]
- NHK reports the cabinet decision to spend 32 billion... the reserve funds on municipal control support. [ 7 ]