A concise review of veterinary forensic medicine in Japan: current status and perspectives

Veterinary forensic medicine has received increasing attention in recent years from the perspectives of animal abuse, veterinary malpractice, wildlife protection, and zoonosis. Veterinary forensic medicine, equivalent to human forensic medicine, is a relatively new field. Compared with Europe and the United States of America, Japan currently lags behind in both the education and practice of veterinary forensic medicine. However, the situation regarding animals in Japan has changed dramatically in recent years, and the need for veterinary forensic medicine is increasing. This manuscript provides an overview of veterinary forensic medicine and a brief description of its current status and prospects in Japan.