Language: English with English, scientific, Japanese, Chinese (mainland and Taiwan), Korean, and Russian nomenclature
Includes accounts for 170 species of mammals in Japan (one more than the first edition). It is the most comprehensive and up-to-date guide available, and will be of interest to anyone in the world who has an interest in Japanese mammals. Descriptions for each species include basic information such as red list status, distribution, fossil record, morphology, dental and mammal formulae, genetics, reproduction, lifespan, diet, habitat, home range, behavior, natural enemies and parasites. Taxonomic issues, relationship with humans, and other matters are documented in the remarks section if needed. Because of the limited space the editors decided to omit identification keys.
Compared to the first edition:
- the lists of references for each taxonomic group were merged into one list
- the bat family Miniopteridae is now treated as independent from Vespertilionidae
- scientific names (including year) or taxonomic status or both have been changed or corrected for some species
- the previous 11 research topics have been slightly modified with the latest knowledge
- and the number of "unknown" and "not recorded" descriptions has decreased, indicating the rapid progress in mammalogical investigations in Japan.