Japan loosens gun rules as bear attacks rise
This photo taken early on Nov 10, 2023 shows a sign warning people about bears in the area, near the resort town of Karuizawa, Nagano prefecture. (Photo: AFP/Richard A Brooks)
TOKYO: Japan on Monday (Sep 1) eased gun rules making it easier for hunters to use rifles in built-up areas following a rise in attacks by bears.
More and more wild bears have been spotted in residential areas in Japan due to factors including a declining human population and climate change.
Since April this year four people have been killed by bears in Japan, most recently a hiker in Hokkaido in August, and dozens more injured.
In July, a woman was left unconscious after being attacked by a bear outside a disabilities facility in the outskirts of the northern city of Kitaakita.
The same month, golfers at a tournament had to stay off the course after a bear sighting. In June, a bear was seen roaming a runway at a regional airport.
Japan is known for its tight arms control, with the use of hunting rifles allowed only after police approval.
But from Monday, town and city officials can authorise hunters to use rifles in emergency cases after ensuring the safety of residents.
In the last fiscal year to March 2025 - the way many things are counted in Japan - 85 people were attacked by bears with three of them killed.
In the same period 5,136 bears were killed, down from more than 9,000 the year before.
Rural depopulation and climate change affecting bears' food and hibernation times are prompting more of the animals to approach towns, experts say.
A rise in abandoned farms due to Japan's declining population has also led to boundaries with wild areas becoming blurred.
Another factor caused by an ageing population has been a decline in the number of hunters.
Sightings of bears have even been reported in the Tokyo region in recent years.
Last month, a man was reportedly attacked while fishing in a river in a mountainous part of the urban area's jurisdiction.
There have been at least 39 sightings of bears inside or near primary, middle, or high schools in Japan this year, according to public broadcaster NHK.
