Tokyo: Asian hornets have been discovered for the first time in Japan on a remote southwestern island, prompting the local and central governments to exterminate the insects that are potentially fatal, researchers said today.
The Asian hornets, which originate in China and have had a serious effect on the ecosystem and human health in South Korea and Europe, have settled in Tsushima Island in Nagasaki Prefecture, according to studies by Kyushu University associate professor Takatoshi Ueno, local nature enthusiasts and the city of Tsushima.
Takatoshi warned about the danger posed by these aggressive insects, known scientifically as Vespa velutina Lepeletier, if they are not exterminated. "They have strong reproductive powers and could suddenly spread if they enter mainland Japan," he said.
Asian hornets, which can be up to 3 centimeters in length, prey on bugs and can be persistent in chasing people who disrupt their nests. They are smaller than Asian giant hornets, or Vespa mandarinia, which are widely found in Japan, but are way more aggressive than black-tailed hornets, or Vespa ducalis, which exist in Tsushima.
