Japan to Compile Wild Bear Countermeasures by Mid-Nov.

Tokyo, Oct. 30 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara on Thursday instructed relevant ministries and agencies to draw up an urgent package of measures against wild bears by mid-November amid a series of attacks on people across the country. At the first meeting of a ministerial council held at the prime minister’s office, Kihara also called for prompt and appropriate action to cull bears entering residential areas. At a press conference, Kihara said, “The police will take immediate measures to eliminate bears using rifles, including securing trained police officers who have acquired knowledge about bears and preparing necessary equipment and materials.” According to a government source, police are legally allowed to cull wild bears with rifles under law, but there is no precedent. The number of fatalities from bear attacks has reached a record high of 12 so far this fiscal year, Kihara reported at the meeting. “Damage is diversifying and spreading over wider areas, posing a serious threat to public safety,” said Kihara, who chairs the council. At the meeting, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi reported that training involving the transport of box traps was conducted at the Ground Self-Defense Force’s Akita camp in northeastern Japan on Thursday. Environment Minister Hirotaka Ishihara unveiled plans to utilize funds to be earmarked in a fiscal 2025 supplementary budget to secure hunters. According to Ishihara, the estimated number of brown bears living in the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido stands at some 12,000, while that of black bears living in Japan’s Honshu main island and the Shikoku western region is about 42,000. In response to cases of bears appearing on school grounds, the education ministry has notified boards of education nationwide to revise their crisis management manuals and strengthen safety measures. In the wake of growing damage, the government upgraded a liaison meeting of relevant ministries and agencies to a ministerial conference by adding the internal affairs ministry, the education ministry and the Defense Ministry. Meanwhile, Kazuya Shinba, secretary-general of the opposition Democratic Party for the People, asked Kihara to provide support for securing and developing human resources including so-called government hunters, or local government employees holding hunting licenses. According to the DPFP, Kihara replied, “The central government will give support for local governments to continuously foster human resources such as government hunters.” The party also asked the government to provide financial aid as well as offer logistical assistance from the SDF. It further called on the government to quickly compile guidelines for emergency hunting, which would allow municipalities to authorize hunters to fire their rifles in urban areas to kill animals that pose a risk to people. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]