The Kyoto City Council passed a regulation on Friday that forbids feeding stray cats " improperly", and violators could be fined up to 50,000 Japanese yen (416 U.S. dollars)if the cats cause adverse effects on life of the residents.
According to the city council, the concern of the regulation is to prevent nuisance caused by animals to the residents' life. The city government has received over seven hundred complaints about noise and foul smell caused by stray cats this year.
The regulation will be enacted on July 1, despite outcries from animal protection organizations, which criticize the regulation as inhuman and damaging to the city image.
An ancient city, Kyoto had been the imperial capital of Japan for more than one thousand years before the capital was moved to Tokyo. With its long history and distinctive culture, it is a major tourist attraction in Japan.
