Japan unveils bear-shooting guidelines for populated areas

Japan Today

a day ago

The Japanese government on Tuesday unveiled guidelines on shooting dangerous animals like bears in populated areas before a revised law allowing municipalities to authorize emergency action by hunters comes into force in September.
The Environment Ministry will accelerate efforts to promote public awareness of procedures for firearm use by holding information sessions for local governments, emphasizing that ensuring the safety of nearby residents is a top priority.
Sightings of bears venturing into towns in search of food have become more frequent recently, driven by reduced human presence in the mountains and the spread of abandoned farmland due to aging and falling populations in rural regions.
Under the guidelines, municipalities and hunters will arrange ways to secure the safety of residents and determine shooting angles. Local authorities will then carry out traffic control and evacuations before authorizing a shooting.
Municipalities are also encouraged to develop their own response manuals for wildlife emergencies, clarify the roles of those involved, and increase the number of hunters through recruitment and training programs.
Under the amended law on wildlife protection and management, brown bears, black bears and wild boars may be shot in emergencies when they enter populated areas.
Local governments will provide payment for bullet damage to buildings or vehicles, while injuries to people are likely to be covered by state compensation.
The revised law will enable quicker and more effective responses compared to current rules, which generally ban animal shootings in densely populated areas and permit them only when people are in immediate danger.
© KYODO