Japan is set to relax strict hunting laws to make it easier to shoot bears, following a rise in dangerous encounters in populated areas. The government will revise wildlife protection laws to allow local councils to authorise 'emergency shootings' when bears are spotted in neighbourhoods, according to Kyodo news agency.
The revision, effective next year, aims to enable licensed hunters to respond more quickly to sightings. Currently, police approve emergency shootings only when bears pose an immediate threat to life. The change comes as bears increasingly venture into towns due to dwindling natural habitat and food scarcity, partly linked to the climate crisis.
A record 219 serious incidents, including six deaths, were reported in the year to March, while over 9,000 bears were trapped and culled, per the environment ministry. Japan's bear population has grown significantly: Asiatic black bears number around 44,000, up from 15,000 in 2012, and Hokkaido's Ussuri brown bears have tripled to nearly 12,000.
The country also faces a shrinking, ageing hunter community. Hunting licences dropped from over 517,800 in 1975 to 218,500 in 2020, with about 60% of holders aged 60 or over. Current laws prohibit shooting in residential areas or public spaces like shopping centres, and require police permission before a hunter can fire.
Recent incidents include a bear attacking a supermarket employee in Akita prefecture and holing up inside for nearly three days before being trapped and killed. Last year, a man lost part of an ear after finding a bear in his garage, and several people were mauled at a bus stop. Over 200 sightings were reported in the Tokyo region in the 12 months to April.
