Welcome to ageing Japan, now second only to the US in pet pampering. Danielle Demetriou reports that "the number of pets long ... [have] eclipsed the number of children under the age of 15":
Today, [Japan]’s dogs can enjoy a leisurely life of yoga, aromatherapy massages and tap-dancing classes (yes really), in between stays in boutique dog hotels and attending dog fashion shows. Cats don’t have it any harder: from cat acupuncture to cat cafés (including separate menus organic of course for both cats and owners), there are few aspects of human life that are not available also for felines.