Its front claws are much weaker than the American crayfish, which is an invasive species in Japan.

The Japanese crayfish needs low temperature and high water purity, so they live in upper streams of rivers or lakes in highland regions.

Studies have shown that Cambaroides japonicus preferentially select artificial burrows based on their relative size, leading to the conclusion that burrow patterns are related to size characteristics of the organism.

The Environmental Agency (now Ministry of Environment) of Japan added it as a vulnerable species (IUCN category) to the Red Data List in 2000.

It is thought that the causes of its decrease are corruption of water quality and the spread of the American crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus, which was imported in the 20th century and has steadily proliferated in northern Japan.