
Yuki Matsumoto
Principal Investigator
Institution Researcher, Anicom Specialty Medical Institute Inc.
Project Overview
There are various theories about when the ancestors of the Japanese cat —an indigenous random-bred cat— were introduced to Japan, but the timing remains uncertain. Our research aims to elucidate the origin and spread of the Japanese cat using genomic data. To this end, we are analyzing genomes from both modern cats across the country and ancient DNA obtained from archaeological specimens. In this project, we seek to clarify when and how Japanese cats spread to Japan by examining frequently excavated archaeological samples of medieval cats.
