This is a list of mammal species recorded in Japan (excluding domesticated and captive populations). Of the 172 species of mammal found in Japan—112 native terrestrial mammals (those that are endemic are identified below; this number includes 37 species of bat), 19 introduced species, 40 species of Cetacea, and the dugong—161 are listed for the Japan region on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: of these, three taxa are critically endangered (Muennink's spiny rat, Yanbaru whiskered bat, and gloomy tube-nosed bat), twenty-two are endangered, eight are vulnerable, and eleven are near threatened; the Japanese sea lion and Bonin or Sturdee's pipistrelle are evaluated as extinct. Although on a global level the grey wolf is assessed as least concern, the two Japanese subspecies, Hokkaido wolf and Japanese wolf, are further recent extinctions; the 2020 Japanese Ministry of the Environment Red List also lists as extinct the Okinawa flying fox and Japanese river otter, as well as the subspecies .
As of January 2023, for their protection, fifteen species and subspecies have been designated national endangered species by cabinet order in accordance with the 1992 Act on Conservation of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature: EX Extinct No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. EW Extinct in the wild Known only to survive in captivity or as (a) naturalized population(s) well outside its previous range. CR Critically endangered The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. EN Endangered The species is facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild. VU Vulnerable The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. NT Near threatened The species does not currently meet the criteria for CR, EN, or VU but is close or likely to do so in the near future. LC Least concern The species has been evaluated and does not meet the qualifying criteria for CR, EN, VU, or NT. DD Data deficient There is inadequate information to assess the risk of extinction of this species.
Order: Sirenia (manatees and dugongs)
Sirenia is an order of fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that inhabit rivers, estuaries, coastal marine waters, swamps, and marine wetlands. All four species are endangered.
Family: Dugongidae Genus: Dugong Dugong, Dugong dugon (MOE: CR)(northern Okinawa Island; the northernmost population globally; designated a Natural Monument under the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties)
Order: Primates
The order Primates contains humans and their closest relatives: lemurs, lorisoids, monkeys, and apes.
Suborder: Haplorhini Infraorder: Simiiformes Parvorder: Catarrhini Superfamily: Cercopithecoidea Family: Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys) Genus: Macaca Japanese macaque, Macaca fuscata (Honshū, Shikoku, Kyūshū, and adjacent smaller islands; the Aomori population are the northernmost non-human primates; several populations and/or related habitats have been designated Natural Monuments, including those on the Shimokita Peninsula) M. f. fuscata Yakushima macaque, M. f. yakui Formosan rock macaque, Macaca cyclopis (introduced species; those on the Shimokita Peninsula were removed in 2004) Rhesus macaque, Macaca mulatta (feral individuals observed on the Bōsō Peninsula in Chiba
Order: Rodentia (rodents)
Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40% of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be kept short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to .
Suborder: Hystricomorpha Family: Echimyidae (spiny rats) Subfamily: Echimyinae Genus: Myocastor Coypu, Myocastor coypus (introduced from South America) Suborder: Myomorpha Family: Cricetidae (hamsters, voles, lemmings, and New World rats and mice) Subfamily: Arvicolinae Genus: Alexandromys Japanese grass vole, Alexandromys montebelli (endemic; Honshū, Kyūshū, Sado Island, Notojima) Genus: Craseomys Grey red-backed vole, Craseomys rufocanus (Hokkaidō and adjacent smaller islands) Bedford's red-backed vole, C. r. bedfordiae
Hokkaido red-backed vole, Craseomys rex (Hokkaidō and adjacent smaller islands) Mountain red-backed vole, C. r. montanus (MOE: NT)(Hokkaidō and adjacent smaller islands) Rishiri red-backed vole, C. r. rex (MOE: NT)(Rishiri Island) Japanese red-backed vole, Craseomys andersoni (endemic; central and northern Honshū) Smith's red-backed vole, Craseomys smithii (endemic; Honshū, Shikoku, Kyūshū) Genus: Clethrionomys Northern red-backed vole, Clethrionomys rutilus (Hokkaidō) C. r. mikado Genus: Ondatra Muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus (introduced from North America) Family: Muridae (mice, rats, gerbils, etc.) Subfamily: Murinae Genus: Apodemus Striped field mouse, Apodemus agrarius (MOE: CR)(Uotsuri Island) Korean field mouse, Apodemus peninsulae (Hokkaidō) A. p. giliacus Large Japanese field mouse, Apodemus speciosus (widely distributed; not found in Okinawa) A. s. ainu A. s. speciosus Small Japanese field mouse, Apodemus argenteus (widely distributed; not found in Okinawa) A. a. argenteus A. a. hokkaidi A. a. yakui Genus: Tokudaia Muennink's spiny rat, Tokudaia muenninki (MOE: CR)(endemic to Okinawa Island; Natural Monument) Ryukyu spiny rat, Tokudaia osimensis (MOE: EN)(endemic to Amami Ōshima; Natural Monument) Tokunoshima spiny rat, Tokudaia tokunoshimensis (MOE: EN)(endemic to Tokunoshima; Natural Monument) Genus: Diplothrix Ryukyu long-tailed giant rat, Diplothrix legata (MOE: EN)(endemic to Amami Ōshima, Tokunoshima, and Okinawa Island; Natural Monument) Genus: Rattus Brown rat, Rattus norvegicus (concentrated in urban areas)
Polynesian rat, Rattus exulans (introduced onto Miyako Island) Tanezumi rat, Rattus tanezumi (concentrated in urban areas) Genus: Micromys Harvest mouse, Micromys minutus (not found in Hokkaidō, Tōhoku, Okinawa) Genus: Mus Ryukyu mouse, Mus caroli (Okinawa Island) House mouse, Mus musculus (widely distributed; commensal with humans) Suborder: Sciuromorpha Family: Sciuridae (squirrels) Subfamily: Sciurinae Tribe: Sciurini Genus: Sciurus Eurasian red squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris , S. v. orientis(Hokkaidō) Japanese squirrel, Sciurus lis (endemic; Honshū and Shikoku; no recent records from Kyūshū or Awaji Island) Tribe: Pteromyini Genus: Petaurista Japanese giant flying squirrel, Petaurista leucogenys (endemic; Honshū, Shikoku, and Kyūshū) Genus: Pteromys Japanese dwarf flying squirrel, Pteromys momonga (endemic; Honshū, Shikoku, Kyūshū) Siberian flying squirrel, Pteromys volans (found on Hokkaidō, as P. v. orii) Ezo flying squirrel, P. v. orii(Hokkaidō) Subfamily: Callosciurinae Tribe: Callosciurini Genus: Callosciurus Pallas's squirrel, Callosciurus erythraeus (introduced; naturalized populations from Ibaraki to Miyazaki) Subfamily: Xerinae Tribe: Marmotini Genus: Eutamias Siberian chipmunk, Eutamias sibiricus (Hokkaidō and adjacent smaller islands) Ezo chipmunk, E. s. lineatus (MOE: DD, as Tamias sibiricus lineatus) Family: Gliridae (dormice) Subfamily: Glirinae Genus: Glirulus Japanese dormouse, Glirulus japonicus (endemic; Honshū, Shikoku, Kyūshū, Dōgojima; Natural Monument)
Order: Lagomorpha (hares, rabbits, and pikas)
The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). Though they can resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early 20th century, they have since been considered a separate order. They differ from rodents in a number of physical characteristics, such as having four incisors in the upper jaw rather than two.
Family: Leporidae (hares and rabbits) Genus: Lepus Japanese hare, Lepus brachyurus (endemic; Honshū, Shikoku, Kyūshū, and adjacent smaller islands) Kyushu hare, L. b. brachyurus Oki hare, L. b. okiensis Sado hare, L. b. lyoni (MOE: NT)(Sado Island) Tōhoku hare, L. b. angustidens Mountain hare, Lepus timidus (Hokkaidō, Kunashiri, Etorofu) , L. t. ainu(Hokkaidō) Genus: Oryctolagus European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus (introduced; feral on thirteen islands) Genus: Pentalagus Amami rabbit, Pentalagus furnessi (MOE: EN)(endemic to Amami Ōshima and Tokunoshima; Special Natural Monument) Family: Ochotonidae (pikas) Genus: Ochotona Northern pika, Ochotona hyperborea , O. h. yesoensis (MOE: NT)(Hokkaidō)
Order: Eulipotyphla (hedgehogs, shrews, and moles)
Eulipotyphlans are insectivorous mammals. Shrews and solenodons resemble mice, hedgehogs carry spines, gymnures look more like large rats, while moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs and moonrats) Subfamily: Erinaceinae Genus: Erinaceus Amur hedgehog, Erinaceus amurensis (introduced; populations in the Odawara area and on the Izu Peninsula) Family: Soricidae (shrews) Subfamily: Crocidurinae Genus: Crocidura Asian lesser white-toothed shrew, Crocidura shantungensis (MOE: NT)(Tsushima Island)
Watase's shrew, Crocidura watasei (MOE: NT)(endemic to the Ryūkyū Islands)
Dsinezumi shrew, Crocidura dsinezumi (from Hokkaidō to Kagoshima; also Jeju Island) C. d. chisai C. d. dsinezumi C. d. intermedia C. d. okinoshimae C. d. umbrina Orii's shrew, Crocidura orii (MOE: EN)(endemic to the Amami Islands) Genus: Suncus House shrew, Suncus murinus (Ryūkyū Islands, Fukue Island, Kyūshū (Nagasaki, Kagoshima)) S. m. temmincki Subfamily: Soricinae Tribe: Nectogalini Genus: Chimarrogale
Japanese water shrew, Chimarrogale platycephalus (endemic; Honshū and Kyūshū) Tribe: Soricini Genus: Sorex Slender shrew, Sorex gracillimus (Hokkaidō and adjacent smaller islands) Azumi shrew, Sorex hosonoi (MOE: NT)(endemic; central Honshū) Eurasian least shrew, Sorex minutissimus , S. m. hawkeri (MOE: VU)(Hokkaidō, Kenbokki Island, Kunashiri)
Shinto shrew, Sorex shinto (endemic; subspecies on Honshū, Sado Island, and Shikoku) Sado shrew, S. s. sadonis Shikoku shrew, S. s. shikokensis (MOE: NT)(Shikoku) S. s. shinto Laxmann's shrew, Sorex caecutiens (Hokkaidō, Kunashiri) S. c. saevus Long-clawed shrew, Sorex unguiculatus (Hokkaidō and adjacent smaller islands) Family: Talpidae (moles) Subfamily: Talpinae Tribe: Talpini Genus: Euroscaptor Japanese mountain mole, Euroscaptor mizura (MOE: NT)(endemic; Honshū) Genus: Mogera Small Japanese mole, Mogera imaizumii (endemic; Honshū, Shikoku, and adjacent smaller islands) Japanese mole, Mogera wogura (endemic; southern Honshū, Shikoku, Kyūshū, and adjacent smaller islands)
Echigo mole, Mogera etigo (MOE: EN)(endemic; Niigata) Sado mole, Mogera tokudae (MOE: NT)(endemic to Sado Island) Senkaku mole, Mogera uchidai (MOE: CR)(endemic to Uotsuri Island) Tribe: Urotrichini Genus: Urotrichus True's shrew mole, Dymecodon pilirostris (endemic; Honshū, Shikoku, Kyūshū) Japanese shrew mole, Urotrichus talpoides (endemic; Honshū, Shikoku, Kyūshū, and adjacent smaller islands)
Order: Chiroptera (bats)
The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.
Family: Pteropodidae (flying foxes, Old World fruit bats) Subfamily: Pteropodinae Genus: Pteropus Ryukyu flying fox, Pteropus dasymallus (Ryūkyū Islands) Daito flying fox, P. d. daitoensis (MOE: CR)(Daitō Islands; Natural Monument) Erabu flying fox, P. d. dasymallus (MOE: CR)(Ōsumi Islands and Tokara Islands) Orii's flying fox, P. d. inopinatus Yaeyama flying fox, P. d. yayeyamae Okinawa flying fox, Pteropus loochoensis (MOE: EX)(not found since a C19 record) Bonin flying fox, Pteropus pselaphon (MOE: EN)(endemic to Bonin Islands and Volcano Islands) Family: Hipposideridae Genus: Hipposideros Lesser great leaf-nosed bat, Hipposideros turpis (endemic to Yaeyama Islands) Family: Rhinolophidae Genus: Rhinolophus