As part of his program “Sur le Front”, Hugo Clément highlights the fate of many French horses, exported alive to Japan, to end up in sushi.
This is a revelation that is likely to make a lot of noise! And it did not take long since Brigitte Bardot split an open letter addressed to Emmanuel Macron to express his indignation.
With the program “Sur le Front” team, Hugo Clément investigated agricultural exports from France and discovered an activity that had remained discreet until now. Indeed, in the greatest secrecy, France exports live horses to Japan to be transformed into sushi.
In Japan, horse sushi, called “basashi” turns out to be a luxury dish since the French horse is sold there for up to 200 euros per kilo, according to a breeder. France is even the second largest exporter of live horses, behind Canada.
It is not necessarily the fact that they end up in sushi that scandalizes, but it is above all the way in which the horses are treated and exported that poses problems.
According to Hugo Clément, the horses make this long journey of 16 hours, nonstop, alive. They would be around 120 in each aircraft, leaving from Châteauroux airport. This means of air transport escapes road transport regulations.
Normally, a horse should be given a break every eight hours on a truck trip. An obligation that is shattered during these air exports. According to animal rights associations, these thefts generate a lot of stress for horses, which have very sensitive ears.
Worse still, their ordeal does not end upon landing, far from it. Once they arrive in Japan, the horses are fattened and then slaughtered to be transformed into sushi.
Each year, it would therefore be around 1000 horses that pass through this sector. Breeders justify this practice to avoid the disappearance of draft horses. According to the associations, these exports have existed since 2016.
