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Wednesday, 6th January 2016
In Japan Travel News,
Dog gets free trip to Japan
Japan has been experiencing an upsurge in visitors recently, but it turns out that one four-legged creature was so keen to see the Land of the Rising Sun he made an unexpected visit.
There have been widespread reports of a dog stowing away in his owner’s suitcase and making the journey by plane from Hong Kong to Japan.
It was originally reported by Apple Daily and translated by EJI, before being picked up by a number of other news organisations.
The schnauzer is said to have got into his master’s luggage while he was packing and was left undiscovered until they both arrived in Hokkaido on December 28th.
During the two-hour wait at the airport in Hong Kong and the five-hour flight, it was never discovered that there was an additional four-legged passenger on board.
It was only when the visitor to Japan received a text message saying his dog had gone missing that he checked his luggage and discovered his pet pooch inside.
The dog was unharmed and handed over to Japanese customs officials, who returned it to Hong Kong while the tourist finished his holiday.
Questions remain as to how the animal could have passed through airport security undetected inside the suitcase.
A spokesperson for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said it had been contacted by the Japanese government in relation to the incident and had helped to repatriate the dog to Hong Kong.
Hokkaido is the most northerly of the main islands that make up Japan and is well-known for its volcanoes, natural onsen and ski resorts.
The dog therefore may have simply wanted to hit the slopes with his owner, who was enjoying a winter break with his family.
Related news stories:
Dog pedometer deters pet obesity (30th November 2012)
Fukushima dogs go wild (23rd September 2011)
Japanese scientists find answer to dog paw mystery (12th January 2012)
Earthquake rescue dogs to be fitted with high-tech equipment (7th March 2016)