1. Veterinarians Do More Than Work at Animal Hospitals
When you think of a veterinarian, you probably picture someone standing next to an examination table at an animal hospital. In fact, according to a 2024 registration summary by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, small animal practice makes up about 40% of all registered veterinarians, making it the largest field [1].
The Veterinary Medical Law, Article 17, states that only veterinarians are allowed to practice medicine as a profession on specific animals listed in government ordinances, such as cattle, horses, sheep, goats, pigs, dogs, cats, chickens, and quails [2]. This does not mean that only veterinarians can touch these animals. It means that only veterinarians are allowed to perform medical treatment as a job. While treatment is a key part of the job, the law does not define their role solely as treating animals.
2. The Veterinary Medical Law Says Vets Must Also Protect Human Health
Article 1 of the Veterinary Medical Law defines the mission of veterinarians. It includes managing veterinary affairs like providing veterinary care for animals kept by people and giving advice on animal health and hygiene. The goal is to improve animal health and develop the livestock industry, while also contributing to public health [2]. Public health means protecting the health of people in society as a whole. So, the law places contributing to public health in the same sentence as animal treatment.
The Japan Veterinary Medical Association also explains that the role of veterinarians goes beyond treatment. It includes ensuring food safety, preventing infectious diseases shared by humans and animals, animal welfare, and protecting wild animals [3]. This is the association’s own description, but it aligns with the mission stated in the law. Where exactly is this work that contributes to human health? The most familiar place is the dining table.
Note: The Japan Veterinary Medical Association describes the role of veterinarians broadly. This includes ensuring food safety, preventing infectious diseases shared by humans and animals, animal welfare, managing wild animals, and supporting education and research [3].
3. Meat Inspection: Vets Check Each Animal Before It Becomes Meat
According to the Miyagi Prefecture Food Hygiene Inspection Center, cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, and goats processed at slaughterhouses are inspected one by one by slaughter inspection officers. Only those that pass are allowed to be distributed as food [4]. The purpose is to remove diseased livestock and abnormal meat, including diseases shared by humans and animals. The inspection officers are required by the Slaughterhouse Act to be veterinarians. Their work also includes checking for drug residues and guiding hygiene management [4].
This inspection aims to detect meat from sick or abnormal animals before it reaches stores, so that it can be kept out of the food supply. Veterinarians are the ones responsible for this check. However, finding sick animals only at the stage of becoming meat can be too late. Who watches over animals while they are growing on farms?
Note: In Miyagi Prefecture, five types of animals (cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, goats) are inspected one by one. Only those that pass are sold as food [4]. They also perform tests for antimicrobial substance residues and guide work based on HACCP, which is a system for managing food safety [4].
4. Livestock Vets Visit Farms to Prevent Animal Disease
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries divides the work of livestock veterinarians into two main categories. The first is clinical care, which includes examining, treating, and preventing disease in livestock, plus supporting breeding. The second is working as public officials in livestock hygiene centers. Their duties include inspecting livestock, guiding hygiene, investigating disease causes, responding to outbreaks, and promoting farm HACCP [5].
According to materials from Aichi Prefecture, farms keeping a certain number or more of poultry are inspected at least once a year in principle, following national guidelines. Inspectors check if hygiene standards, like disinfection, are being followed and guide improvements if needed [6]. If a farm reports an abnormality, a team responsible for disease diagnosis visits to perform simple tests or collect samples. This inspection is conditional based on the number of animals kept. It does not mean every farm is inspected every year.
These veterinarians do not just treat sick animals; they work to prevent diseases from spreading. How many veterinarians are involved in this type of work?
5. Zoo Vets Try to Do Health Checks Without Anesthesia
The Sapporo Maruyama Zoo states that the job of a zoo veterinarian is not just treating injuries and illnesses [7]. The job description for Kumamoto City Zoological and Botanical Gardens lists duties such as treatment, health management, feed management, exhibits, education, and visitor safety. This is an example from one specific zoo.
Maruyama Zoo explains that they can perform health checks on orangutans similar to those for humans, without the burden of anesthesia [8]. According to the zoo, a challenge for orangutans is accidentally inhaling saliva during anesthesia, which can cause respiratory disease. What they use for this is cooperative training with the animal. Sessions are kept to about 10 minutes to maintain focus, and the animal is allowed to leave if it wants to [8]. The keepers lead the training, while veterinarians handle the examination and judgment. Reducing the burden of the examination itself is also part of the veterinarian’s job.
Note: The Kumamoto City Zoological and Botanical Gardens job description lists feed management, exhibits, education, and visitor safety as duties, in addition to treatment and health management.
6. About 40,000 Registered Vets Are Spread Unevenly Across Fields
The 2024 registration summary shows there are about 40,000 registered veterinarians. By field, small animal practice is about 40%, livestock practice is about 10%, public officials in agriculture/forestry/fisheries are about 8%, and public officials in public health (like meat inspection) are about 13% [1]. There are also people not working in veterinary affairs or in other roles.
Looking at the numbers, small animal practice (about 16,700 people) is more than five times larger than public officials in the agriculture/forestry/fisheries field (about 3,100 people). The most familiar place, the animal hospital, has the most people. Trends show that public officials in agriculture/forestry/fisheries have decreased slightly from about 3,400 in 2020 to about 3,100 in 2024. Small animal practice has increased from about 16,200 to about 16,700 [1]. These figures do not show a shortage of veterinarians overall, but they show a clear difference in numbers between fields.
To become a veterinarian in Japan, one must complete a six-year veterinary curriculum and pass the national exam. In the 76th exam (fiscal year 2024), 1,036 out of 1,440 candidates passed [9].
7. Calculating the Ratios Shows How Vets Divide Across Types of Work
Try calculating 16,717 divided by 39,664 on a calculator. You get about 0.42, which matches the "about 40%" figure. Next, calculate 3,117 divided by 39,664. You get about 0.08. This number, which is less than 10%, is the ratio of public officials in the agriculture/forestry/fisheries field [1].
When you calculate the numbers, you see a large difference in the number of people in each field. Even though the numbers are smaller, preventing disease at inspection centers and farms is work that protects our food and health. You can read the Ministry of Agriculture’s "About Livestock Veterinarians" [5] and Maruyama Zoo’s "Veterinarian Work" [7] in Japanese. When you visit a local zoo or animal hospital, ask yourself, "Besides animal health, what else is this veterinarian protecting?" This question might change what you see.