US EditionJapan's eased rules on bear shootings in populated areas go into effect
New regulations let local officials authorize emergency bear shootings in urban areas to reduce attacks, with 219 bear-related casualties reported in fiscal 2023, officials say.
- On Monday, Japan's revised wildlife law went into effect, allowing municipal governments to commission licensed hunters for emergency bear shootings in populated areas.
- Rising sightings, including in Tokyo, prompted new measures as rural depopulation, climate change, and a decline in hunter numbers increased bear encounters in recent years.
- Before any shot is authorised, authorities must ensure municipalities coordinate with police and local hunting associations, restrict access or evacuate residents, and confirm backstops to prevent risks to people.
- Environment Ministry figures note bear-related casualties hit a record 219 in fiscal 2023, and since April 2025 four people have been killed with 55 cases reported from April to July this year.
- Given Japan's tight gun controls, the revision enables quicker action to prevent harm in urban areas where bears have appeared, including a regional airport runway and Tokyo's mapped sightings.
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12 Articles
Towns and towns can now officially allow hunters to shoot bears in residential areas - but only in emergencies. Why do bears increasingly venture into inhabited areas in Japan?
Japan's eased rules on bear shootings in populated areas go into effect
Legislative revisions went into effect Monday granting Japanese municipalities powers to commission hunters in populated areas to perform "emergency shootings" of dangerous animals such as bears, amid a rise in attacks.
wr.de
waz.deWith loose weapons laws, the country wants to take action against bears. They continue to penetrate cities – also because of climate change.
Tokyo, Sep 2 (Latin Press) Japanese authorities today confirmed the easing of rules on hunting wild animals, including bears, in populated areas, in response to the increase in cases of attacks on humans. The post Japan relaxes law on hunting wild animals in populated areas first appeared on News Prensa Latina.
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