Japan Battles Bear Crisis: Government Plans to Hire Hunters as Fatal Attacks Surge
Japan is currently facing a public safety crisis as the frequency of bear attacks has suddenly surged, spreading nationwide alarm. To manage this dangerous situation, the government is planning to hire professional hunters to bring the aggressive bear population under control.
Yesterday (Thursday), the country’s Environment Ministry announced that it would allocate special funds to recruit licensed hunters and related personnel. Their primary task will be to manage bears that enter residential areas or attack humans.
British media outlet BBC reported that on the same day, the Japanese government held a high-level meeting and proposed several measures to combat the escalating problem.
Deadliest Year Since 2000
So far this year, 12 people have been killed in bear attacks, making it the highest fatality count since 2000. Victims include a newspaper delivery person on Hokkaido Island and a 67-year-old man in the Iwate region who was killed in his own garden.
The government has declared that bears now pose a “severe threat” to public safety. Authorities are even considering authorizing police officers to use firearms to kill bears. Final measures are expected to be decided by mid-November.
Bears have reportedly been sighted inside supermarkets, schools, and even homes in various parts of the country, and over 100 people have been injured, including a foreign tourist near a bus stop in a popular tourist area.
The Two Species and the Escalation
Japan is home to two species of bears: the Japanese black bear and the larger, more aggressive Ussuri brown bear found on the island of Hokkaido.
The situation is most critical in the northern Akita Prefecture, which has seen the highest number of attacks in mountainous regions. This week, the government announced that the Self-Defense Forces will be deployed to the Akita region to help capture and deter bears.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi stated: “Human lives and livelihoods are now under threat.”
However, under current law, soldiers cannot shoot bears. Their role will be limited to assisting hunters with setting traps and removing dead bears. Akita Governor Kenta Suzuki noted that the personnel working in the field are already exhausted.
Why Are the Bears Coming Closer?
The surging attacks are linked to two main factors:
1. Declining Hunters: The number of licensed hunters across the country is rapidly decreasing. Many are elderly, and bear hunting is no longer a popular activity, leading to a rise in the bear population.
2. Climate Change and Food Scarcity: Experts believe that climate change has reduced the yield of beech nuts (a staple food) in the mountains. This scarcity drives hungry bears into villages and towns in search of food. The decline in the rural population has also contributed, as human settlements are less guarded.
In response, the government already relaxed gun-use regulations in September, making it easier for people to shoot bears in residential areas.
