Japan allocates 6.7 billion yen to fight invasive longhorn beetles

Japan's Environment Ministry is seeking a 6.7 billion-yen budget for the next fiscal year to intensify actions against the red-neck longhorn beetle, an invasive species that attacks cherry, plum and peach trees. This request represents an eleven-fold increase over the 600 million yen allocated for fiscal 2026. The ministry, together with the farm ministry, formed a task force in July and unveiled a strategy that includes technical assistance and funding for local governments.

The beetle, originally from China, the Korean Peninsula, Taiwan and Vietnam, has spread across Japan since its first detection in 2012, with adults most active from May to August. To curb its spread, towns such as Kawajima and Oyama have offered monetary rewards for captured beetles. An extra 600 million yen from the international tourist tax will also be directed toward protecting cherry trees, a key tourism asset.