Japanese town threatens to impose dog tax Hiroyasu Chiyomatsu, head of Izumisano, in central Japan, has warned that the new tax will be brought into force in two years unless dog owners clean up after their pets. Addressing the municipal assembly, Chiyomatsu demanded that dog owners "improve their morals and manners." "What is most important is that our city becomes clean," he told the meeting, adding that a crackdown is to go into force immediately and operate in tandem with a campaign to raise awareness of the importance of owners removing their pets' waste. "If the awareness-raising campaign is not effective, they I would like to introduce the tax," the mayor said. Previous efforts to get the owners of the 5,375 dogs registered in the community have failed to have an impact. A statute on the city's books requires owners to clean up after their animals and imposed a Y1,000 (Pounds8.07) fine on anyone failing to do so. The Mainichi newspaper quoted city officials as saying the fine has never been levied, although local authorities received around 30 complaints from local residents about dog droppings left on streets last year. The mayor said the money raised by the planned tax would be spent on patrols to ensure that pet owners abide by the legislation and the cost of cleaning up after the animals. No decision has been made on the annual figure for the tax.