The Japanese Sleeper Ray (Narke japonica) is a bycatch in industrial and artisanal fisheries with multiple fishing gears including trawl, gillnet, and line, and is retained in Taiwan, and likely China, for fish meal. If discarded elsewhere, post-release survival is likely low. There are no species-specific population trends, although it is considered common in Taiwan where the observed landing rates have remained stable for the past 10–15 years (two to three generation lengths). Landings data of all skates combined from the Taiwan Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and reconstructed catches of all sharks, skates and rays from the Japan, China, and South Korea EEZs indicate declines of 23–68% over the past three generation lengths (15 years). These levels of declines are not species-specific but are informative for understanding the broader levels of decline in batoids in the region. Significant habitat loss is also a threat to this species. Seasonal fishing bans and inshore trawl bans in China and Taiwan respectively, may provide the species some refuge from fishing pressure. It is inferred that the Japanese Sleeper Ray has undergone a population reduction of 30–49% over the past three generation lengths (15 years) due to levels of exploitation and a decline in quality of habitat, and it is assessed as Vulnerable A2cd.