Japan SDF Prepares Logistical Aid for Bear Capture Efforts

Tokyo, Nov. 2 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force is preparing to dispatch personnel to Akita Prefecture to assist with measures against wild bears, following a series of attacks on people in the northeastern Japan prefecture. In response to a request from Akita, the GSDF is set to provide logistical support, such as transporting box traps, without direct involvement in culling bears. If this becomes a model case for SDF support, other local governments facing worsening bear damage may consider requesting assistance. “The exhaustion among those involved (in addressing bear attacks) has reached its peak, and we can’t cope with the situation with our manpower alone,” Akita Governor Kenta Suzuki said during a visit to the Defense Ministry on Tuesday last week. There have been over 8,000 reported bear sightings in the prefecture this fiscal year, and 50 people have suffered injuries, including three fatalities. Wild bears are beginning to appear in urban areas as well, and residents must exercise caution even when opening their front doors, Suzuki said. The SDF has previously assisted with wildlife damage control efforts, including measures against Yezo deer in Hokkaido, northernmost Japan, from fiscal 2010 to fiscal 2014, and against Japanese deer in the western prefecture of Kochi from fiscal 2014 to fiscal 2016. According to the ministry, SDF personnel transported captured deer on snowmobiles in Hokkaido and conducted habitat surveys in Kochi, both as part of training exercises. The habitat surveys were considered reconnaissance training. Article 100 of the SDF law, which allows the SDF to engage in civil engineering projects, and a clause on education and training in the law establishing the ministry provided the legal basis for the past cases of SDF assistance. The latest GSDF personnel dispatch to Akita is expected to be based on Article 100 of the SDF law, which also allows the force to undertake transportation work if requested by local governments and deemed suitable for training purposes. According to the Environment Ministry, 12 people have been killed by bears this fiscal year as of Thursday, marking a record high. Casualties have been reported in Hokkaido, Akita, Iwate, Miyagi and Nagano prefectures. A senior Defense Ministry official said that the government will consider possible requests for SDF assistance on a case-by-case basis, but added, “The SDF’s main mission is national defense, and we cannot provide unlimited support.” Some people have voiced hopes online that the SDF will directly cull wild bears, but the ministry’s Ground Staff Office has said that “small firearms used by the GSDF are not designed for bear culling, so they are not suitable for use.” GSDF rifles have smaller calibers than hunting rifles. “The SDF does not conduct training in wildlife extermination using hunting rifles, nor does it possess the necessary know-how,” Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told a press conference Friday. “It’s difficult for the force to engage in culling.” SDF personnel providing logistical assistance may face risks when approaching bear habitats. Koizumi said that, although carrying weapons is not legally prohibited, such circumstances are generally outside the scope of consideration when performing work based on Article 100 of the SDF law. “We are coordinating concrete measures, including equipment and safety protocols, while receiving advice from the prefectural government and hunting associations,” the minister added. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]