Tokyo, Oct. 6 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government Tuesday decided to spend 3.2 billion yen on measures against the red-necked longhorn beetle, a government-designated invasive alien species that threatens trees including cherry and plum. Using funds from its fiscal 2026 general-account reserve, the government plans to strengthen support for local governments taking measures such as pesticide spraying and outbreak monitoring, as damage has been confirmed in 22 of the country’s 47 prefectures. This year, the species was found in six more prefectures, making it likely that funding for control measures under the fiscal 2026 budget will fall short. “We’ll swiftly take measures based on (the government’s) control strategy,” Environment Minister Hiroyoshi Sasagawa told a press conference. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
