Hotels across Japan are increasingly turning to specially trained dogs to detect bedbugs, as infestations rise alongside a surge in international travel, local media reported on Wednesday.
The Japan Pest Control Association recorded 1,176 bedbug-related complaints in 2023, about 500 more than the previous year, with that figure edging up further to 1,185 in 2024. Industry watchers attribute the upward trend to the sharp rebound in overseas travel following the Covid-19 pandemic, with Japan welcoming a record number of foreign tourists last year as arrivals surpassed 40 million for the first time.
According to The Asahi Shimbun, bedbug-sniffing dogs can detect up to 95 per cent of infestations and are being deployed to inspect hotel rooms and other accommodation. Pest control experts note that increased global travel has made it easier for bedbugs to hitchhike across borders in luggage and clothing, raising the risk of outbreaks in densely used spaces.
Tokyo-based Asante Inc is expanding its canine detection programme, training more dogs and handlers to meet demand. In the past year, the company's dogs have reportedly checked thousands of hotel rooms in Japan. Among them is Elle, a two-year-old beagle trained from the age of six months, who can inspect a room in just a few minutes with her handler Ataru Shimoyama.
The issue is not confined to Japan. In 2023, South Korea struggled with a rise in bedbug infestations, with reports from university dormitories and public saunas, while major cities including London and Paris also faced significant concerns that year.
