List of invasive species in Japan explained

Invasive species include those introduced from overseas, such as the red-eared slider, as well as plants or animals introduced outside their native range within Japan (Siberian chipmunk, etc.).^[1] This is a non-exhaustive list, largely based on data from the National Institute of Environmental Studies.^[2]

Animal species

Mammals

• Bos taurus (cattle) - Problematic in Tokara Islands https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10280e.html
• Callosciurus erythraeus (Pallas's squirrel) - Invasive in various areas in Japan.^{[3] [4]}
• Callosciurus finlaysonii (Finlayson's squirrel) - Invasive in Shizuoka prefecture.^[5]
• Canis familiaris (dog) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10160e.html
• Capra aegagrus (feral goat) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10290e.html
• Erinaceus amurensis (Amur hedgehog) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10010e.html
• Eutamias sibiricus (Siberian chipmunk) - Native to Hokkaido, invasive in Honshu.^{[6] [7]}
• Felis catus (feral cat) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10220e.html
• Macaca cyclopis (Formosan rock macaque) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10030e.html
• Macaca mulatta (rhesus macaque) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10390e.html
• Martes melampus (Japanese marten) Honshu native, invasive in Hokkaido and Sado Island https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10330e.html
• Muntiacus reevesi (Reeves's muntjac) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10250e.html
• Mus musculus (house mouse) - Nationwide.^[8]
• Mustela itatsi (Japanese weasel) Honshu native, invasive in Hokkaido https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10320e.html
• Mustela sibirica (Siberian weasel) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10180e.html
• Myocastor coypus (coypu, nutria) - Western Japan.^{[9] [10]}
• Neogale vison (American mink) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10190e.html
• Nyctereutes procyonoides (raccoon dog) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10310e.html
• Ondatra zibethicus (muskrat) - Tokyo, Chiba and Saitama.^[11]
• Oryctolagus cuniculus (European rabbit) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10040e.html
• Paguma larvata (masked palm civet) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10200e.html
• Procyon lotor (raccoon) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10150e.html
• Rattus norvegicus (brown rat) - Invasive on outlying islands.^[12]
• Rattus rattus (black rat) - Invasive in almost all of Japan.^[13]
• Sus scrofa (wild boar) on Ototojima and Okinoerabu islandshttps://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10240e.html
• Urva auropunctata (small Indian mongoose) - Okinawa and Kagoshima.^{[14] [15]}

Reptiles

• Anolis carolinensis (Carolina anole) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/30100e.html
• Chelydra serpentina (common snapping turtle) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/30010e.html
• Cuora flavomarginata (Chinese box turtle) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/30020e.html
• Gekko hokouensis (Hokou gecko) native to outlying islands, invasive on mainlandhttps://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/30170e.html
• Hemidactylus frenatus (common house gecko) http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/80353
• Lepidodactylus lugubris (mourning gecko) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/30070e.html
• Orthriophis taeniurus (beauty rat snake) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/30120e.html
• Pelodiscus sinensis (Chinese softshell turtle) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/30060e.html
• Trachemys scripta elegans (red-eared slider) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/30050e.html
• Protobothrops elegans (elegant pitviper) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/30190e.html
• Protobothrops mucrosquamatus (brown spotted pit viper) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/30130e.html
• Diploderma swinhonis (tree lizard)

Birds

• Columba livia (feral pigeon)^[16]
• Leiothrix lutea (red-billed leiothrix) http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/77034
• Pavo cristatus (Indian peafowl) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/20400e.html
• Phasianus colchicus (common pheasant) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/20030e.html
• Pycnonotus sinensis (light-vented bulbul) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/20120e.html

Fish

• Acheilognathus cyanostigma (striped bitterling) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/50460e.html
• Acheilognathus macropterus https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/50010e.html
• Acheilognathus rhombeus (kanehira) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/50470e.html
• Acheilognathus typus (zenitanago) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/50500e.html
• Channa argus (northern snakehead) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/50420e.html
• Clarias batrachus (walking catfish)^[17]
• Ctenopharyngodon idella (grass carp) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/50030e.html
• Cyprinus carpio (common carp) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/50550e.html
• Gambusia affinis (mosquitofish) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/50230e.html
• Gambusia holbrooki (eastern mosquitofish) http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/82089
• Ictalurus punctatus (channel catfish) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/50120e.html
• Lepomis macrochirus (bluegill) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/50310e.html
• Micropterus dolomieu (smallmouth bass) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/50320e.html
• Micropterus salmoides (largemouth bass) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/50330e.html
• Monopterus albus (Asian swamp eel) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/50280e.html
• Oncorhynchus mykiss (rainbow trout) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/50150e.html
• Rhodeus ocellatus (rosy bitterling) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/50080e.html
• Salmo trutta (brown trout) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/50180e.html
• Silurus asotus (Amur catfish) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/50800e.html
• Tridentiger brevispinis (numachichibu) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/50940e.html

Invertebrates

• Aculops lycopersici (tomato russet mite) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70010e.html
• Agriosphodrus dohrni https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60420e.html
• Ambigolimax valentianus (threeband gardenslug) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70390e.html
• Amphibalanus amphitrite (striped barnacle) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70360e.html
• Amphibalanus improvisus (bay barnacle) http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/91903
• Anoplolepis gracilipes (yellow crazy ant) http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/5575
• Aromia bungii (red-necked longhorn) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60560e.html
• Bemisia tabaci (silverleaf whitefly) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60320e.html
• Blattella germanica (German cockroach) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60200e.html
• Bombus terrestris (buff-tailed bumblebee) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60080e.html
• Bugula neritina (brown bryozoan) http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/109209
• Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (pine wood nematode) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70040e.html
• Cavelerius saccharivorus (oriental chinch bug) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60160e.html
• Chamberlinius hualinensis https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70490e.html
• Coptotermes formosanus (Formosan subterranean termite) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60190e.html
• Corbicula fluminea (Asian clam) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70270e.html
• Corythucha ciliata (sycamore lace bug) http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/16264
• Crangonyx floridanus (Florida crangonyctid) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70520e.html
• Crepidula fornicata (common slipper shell) http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/108234
• Crepidula onyx (onyx slippersnail) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70340e.html
• Cylas formicarius (sweet potato weevil) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60140e.html
• Delta pyriforme https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60480e.html
• Drosophila suzukii (spotted wing drosophila) http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/109283
• Dryocosmus kuriphilus (chestnut gall wasp) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60540e.html
• Epilachna varivestis (Mexican bean beetle) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60150e.html
• Euglandina rosea (rosy wolfsnail) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70230e.html
• Euscepes postfasciatus (West Indian sweetpotato weevil) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60110e.html
• Frankliniella occidentalis (western flower thrips) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60170e.html
• Globodera rostochiensis (golden nematode) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70030e.html
• Hydroides elegans https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70410e.html
• Hylurgus ligniperda (red-haired pine bark beetle) http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/27364
• Hypera postica (alfalfa weevil) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60120e.html
• Hyphantria cunea (fall webworm) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60010e.html
• Icerya purchasi (cottony cushion scale) http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/28432
• Latrodectus geometricus (brown widow) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70130e.html
• Latrodectus hasseltii (redback spider) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70020e.html
• Limnoperna fortunei (golden mussel) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70200e.html
• Linepithema humile (Argentine ant) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60090e.html
• Liriomyza sativae (vegetable leaf miner) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60030e.html
• Liriomyza trifolii (serpentine leafminer) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60040e.html
• Lissachatina fulica (giant African snail) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70250e.html
• Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus (rice water weevil) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60130e.html
• Monomorium pharaonis (pharaoh ant) http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/34587
• Mytilus galloprovincialis (Mediterranean mussel) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70290e.html
• Nassarius sinarus (Nassarius snail) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70470e.html
• Nealsomyia rufella https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60410e.html
• Opisthoplatia orientalis https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60490e.html
• Pacifastacus leniusculus (signal crayfish) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70050e.html
• Paraglenea fortunei https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60430e.html
• Parasa lepida (nettle caterpillar) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60020e.html
• Perna viridis (Asian green mussel) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70280e.html
• Pheidole megacephala (big-headed ant) http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/40133
• Platydemus manokwari (New Guinea flatworm) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70240e.html
• Polyandrocarpa zorritensis http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/108975
• Pomacea canaliculata (apple snail)^[18]
• Potamopyrgus antipodarum (New Zealand mud snail) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70260e.html
• Procambarus clarkii (red swamp crawfish) http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/67878
• Pyromaia tuberculata (tuberculate pear crab) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70330e.html
• Quadrastichus erythrinae (Erythrina gall wasp) http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/46220
• Rhabdoscelus obscurus (sugarcane weevil borer) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60100e.html
• Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (red palm weevil) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60510e.html
• Solenopsis geminata (fire ant) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60390e.html
• Thrips palmi (melon thrips) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60180e.html
• Trialeurodes vaporariorum (glasshouse whitefly) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60330e.html
• Unaspis yanonensis (arrowhead snow scale) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60340e.html
• Vespa velutina (Asian predatory wasp) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/60550e.html
• Xyleborus volvulus http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/57177
• Xenostrobus securis (small brown mussel) https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70370e.html

Plant species

• Desmodium paniculatum^[19]

Notes and References

1. Web site: 侵入生物とは？[What is an invasive species?]]. 18 March 2021. 侵入生物データベース [Invasive Species Database]. National Institute for Environmental Studies.
2. Web site: Home. Invasive Species of Japan. National Institute of Environmental Studies.
3. https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10060e.html Callosciurus erythraeus subspp.
4. [Mark Brazil|Brazil, Mark]
5. https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10540e.html Callosciurus finlaysonii
6. https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10080e.html Tamias sibiricus subspp.
7. Hooper, Rowan Siberian chipmunk September 7, 2001 Japan Times Retrieved July 28, 2017
8. https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10130e.html Mus musculus
9. https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10140e.html Myocastor coypus
10. Hooper, Rowan Nutria January 27, 2003 Japan Times Retrieved July 26, 2017
11. https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10090e.html Ondatra zibethicus
12. https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10110e.html Rattus norvegicus
13. https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10060e.html Rattus rattus
14. https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/10210e.html Herpestes auropunctatus
15. Fisher, Cindy Marines defend Camp Gonsalves from encroaching mongoose July 9, 2006 Stars and Stripes Retrieved July 26, 2017
16. https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/20050e.html Rock dove/Feral pigeon
17. https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/51080e.html Walking catfish
18. https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/70310e.html Apple snail
19. https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/81520e.html Desmodium paniculatum