Wild monkeys are a problem for farmers in many areas in Japan. They often come out of the woods to eat the tasty vegetables and fruit on farms. Every year, they cause heavy damage to crops. But the farmers are fighting back. In 2005, a small village in Nagano Prefecture introduced a program to protect crops with dogs. They are known as monkey dogs, and they are trained to scare monkeys away. The plan was very successful, and the village was able to save thousands of dollars. Since 2005, more than 20 prefectures have introduced similar programs. The programs have been so popular that there is a shortage of monkey dogs now.

In a side note, it is well known in Japan that dogs and monkeys are not on friendly terms. In fact, the phrase ‘dog-and monkey-relationship’ is used to describe two people who can't get along. It is used like the English expression “to fight like cats and dogs.”