Should we give food and water if no medical care not provided?

1/11/26

"Living robustly amidst nature"—this is a phrase frequently seen on social media used to describe the rabbits of Okunoshima Island.

However, in reality, these rabbits—who receive no genuine care or management—are merely tragic creatures. Buffeted by their own natural instincts and forced to endure harsh weather conditions, they exist solely to be consumed as tourist attractions.

Anyone who has ever kept rabbits will recognize the tell-tale signs: rabbits with vacant, lifeless eyes or expressions of obvious distress.

Yet, to those who have never owned a rabbit and lack that experience, these very same behaviors often appear to be nothing more than a picture of laid-back relaxation.

No matter how much social media hypes up the narrative, the reality remains unchanged.

Okunoshima Island is, in truth, far from being a "rabbit paradise."

It would be one thing if the rabbits truly lived out their lives in perpetual good health; however, the grim reality is that those scenes of apparent vitality are merely fleeting moments. The undeniable fact remains that, sooner or later, the overwhelming majority of these rabbits will fall ill and die prematurely.

It is astonishing how many people continue to visit the island time and again, seeking to draw energy and courage from the rabbits.But isn't that really for your sake? Not for the rabbits'?

Once you arrive on the island, it is almost impossible to resist the urge to offer food and water. I, too, am guilty of this. Faced with a hungry rabbit right before your eyes, doing nothing feels undeniably cruel.

Yet, we must come to the conscious realization that, despite our intentions, such actions do not actually serve the rabbits' best interests.

Unless the Ministry of the Environment alters its current policy regarding the treatment of these rabbits—a policy that essentially dictates "no active care"—the acts of feeding and watering them serve only to perpetuate the vicious cycle of a cruel existence for the rabbits of this island.