Japan e-commerce giant Rakuten bans ivory products

AFP, TOKYO: Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten has banned the sales of ivory products on its site, the company said Friday in a move hailed by conservation activists as a boost to international efforts to stem smuggling.

Rakuten had been accused for years of providing the world's largest online marketplace for ivory, which could fuel smuggling through poor law enforcement.

A 1989 ban prohibits international ivory trading.

The bulk of legal ivory in Japan has to come from registered stockpiles or have been purchased before the ban came into force.

But some traders in the country have been suspected of dodging rules.

"In response to growing international concern about the sale of ivory and other protected products, Rakuten changed its guidelines to reclassify ivory and sea turtle products as prohibited items on the Rakuten Ichiba marketplace, effective July 1," the company said in a comment emailed to AFP.

"We expect it will take 1-2 months for all listings of these prohibited products to be removed."

Currently there are thousands of ivory items offered on the Rakuten site, many of which are carved name seals traditionally used to sign off on official documents.

Animal rights and conservation activists hailed Rakuten's decision.

Japan e-commerce giant Rakuten bans ivory products

AFP, TOKYO: Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten has banned the sales of ivory products on its site, the company said Friday in a move hailed by conservation activists as a boost to international efforts to stem smuggling. Rakuten had been accused for years of providing the worlds largest online marketplace for ivory, which could fuel smuggling through poor law enforcement. A 1989 ban prohibits international ivory trading. The bulk of legal ivory in Japan has to come from registered stockpiles or have been purchased before the ban came into force. But some traders in the country have been suspected of dodging rules. In response to growing international concern about the sale of ivory and other protected products, Rakuten changed its guidelines to reclassify ivory and sea turtle products as prohibited items on the Rakuten Ichiba marketplace, effective July 1, the company said in a comment emailed to AFP. We expect it will take 1-2 months for all listings of these prohibited products to be removed. Currently there are thousands of ivory items offered on the Rakuten site, many of which are carved name seals traditionally used to sign off on official documents. Animal rights and conservation activists hailed Rakutens decision.