According to government data, there were a record 219 bear assaults throughout the nation in the year leading up to April, six of which were deadly.
As bears continue to move closer into urban areas, deadly attacks have continued to happen in recent months. It’s even believed that some people view people as prey.
The number of bears in Japan has increased as the country’s population ages and declines, particularly outside of cities. The results have been hazardous, but they have typically led to injuries rather than fatalities.
As of right now, licensed hunters are only permitted to fire their firearms with a police officer’s permission.
In order to allow for greater usage of the weapons, the government intends to amend the law during the upcoming legislative session. For example, in the event that a bear breaches a building and poses a risk to human safety, hunters are permitted to fire.
However, hunters remain cautious. “Coming across a bear can be both frightening and hazardous. The executive director of the Hokkaido Hunters’ Association, Satoshi Saito, stated that “there is never a guarantee that we can shoot a bear to death.”
“If we miss the vital point to stop the bear from moving, it will run away and may attack other people,” he stated. “If it then attacks a person, who will be responsible for that?
