We observed a Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus on 7 July 2013 in Hachijo-jima Island, southern Izu Islands, central Japan. The individual was perched on an electric cable at the edge of a forest. It had greenish brown plumage, a black eye stripe, a pale blue moustachial stripe and a long black bill. Since the bird had elongated central tail feathers typical to bee-eaters, it was assumed to be adult. This is the first record of a Blue-tailed Bee-eater in Japan, which probably visited the island accidentally.
