A gunshot rang out on a recent morning in a meadow in northern Japan. The brown bear slumped in the cage, watched by a handful of city officials and hunters.
The bear had been roaming around a nearby house and eating its way through adjacent cornfields, so officials and hunters in Sunagawa city had set a trap with a deer carcass to lure the voracious creature.
"For me, it's always a bit deflating when a bear gets caught," Haruo Ikegami, 75, who heads the local hunters' association, told Reuters hours beforehand.
Japan is grappling with a growing bear problem. A dwindling band of aging hunters is on the front line.
A record 219 people were victims of bear attacks, six of them fatal, in the 12 months through March 2024, while more than 9,000 black and brown bears were trapped and culled over that period, according to Japan's environment ministry.
Both species' habitats have been expanding; the ministry estimates that the number of brown bears in Hokkaido, Japan's northern island, more than doubled to about 11,700 in the three decades through 2020. (It doesn't keep estimates on black bears, most of which live on the main island of Honshu, though a widely cited 2023 analysis by Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper estimated their numbers at roughly 44,000, a threefold increase since 2012.)
Restrictions on hunting practices and greater emphasis on conservation contributed to a surge in bear sightings over recent decades, according to Japan's Forest Research and Management Organisation. With Japan's rural areas experiencing rapid demographic decline, bears are venturing closer to towns and villages and into abandoned farmland, an environment ministry expert panel said in February.
But bear expertise among local governments is spotty, and Japan's reliance on recreational hunters to protect settlements looks unsustainable as its population ages, according to Reuters interviews with almost two dozen people, including experts, hunters, officials and residents.
Many called for changes to the way Japan manages human-bear conflict to address safety concerns while ensuring a future for the bears.
In Hokkaido cities and towns like Sunagawa, Naie, Iwamizawa and Takikawa, which Reuters visited in October, some residents wonder what will happen when hunters can no longer do the job.
Toru Yoshino, a 66-year-old chicken farmer in Sunagawa, said he was "terrified" by a bear that would wander into his farm a few years ago. As local authorities weighed how to respond, they ultimately relied on the hunters' association, the Sunagawa Ryoyukai, to neutralise the threat, he said.
Sunagawa's city government told Reuters that efforts to capture the bear were complicated by its proximity to homes and deliberations about what to do once the animal was trapped.
Although some hunters stalk bears as a hobby, Ikegami reckons not many are thrilled about culling trapped bears for local governments.
"I don't want people to think of hunting as something fashionable. What we do is difficult. It's a big burden to take a life," he said.
The burden is both mental and monetary. The hunter that shot the bear in Sunagawa would get about 8,000 yen, perhaps enough to cover fuel and expenses but little else, Ikegami said.
Hunters also risk clashing with authorities. Ikegami's guns were seized by Hokkaido authorities in 2019 after they deemed his attempt to shoot a bear near a house was ill-judged. He is battling in court to have the weapons returned. The Hokkaido safety officials involved in the matter declined to address Reuters questions about the case.
In response to increased bear attacks, Japanese government officials this year proposed relaxing rules around gun use to make it easier for hunters to shoot bears in urban areas.
Local governments of Sunagawa, Takikawa and Iwamizawa told Reuters that regional and national authorities could go further to address the problem. This could include promoting the recruitment of hunters and improving their conditions, among other ideas.
Japan's environment ministry said it subsidises efforts to train local officials and conduct bear drills in towns, but added that regional differences in human-bear conflicts called for tailor-made approaches. The Hokkaido government's wildlife bureau said it ran various initiatives to incentivise and recruit hunters, including promotional events and training people in how to handle brown bears.
Environmental group WWF said in an email that to preserve Japan's bear population, authorities should take actions including developing human-wildlife buffer zones and formulating a national protection and management plan. It declined to comment specifically on the culling of bears in Japan.
While its numbers have been growing in Japan, the Asiatic black bear is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN's red list of threatened species globally. The brown bear is listed as least concern.
GROWING OLD
Bear hunting was lucrative until the 1980s, and hide and bile were traded for high prices. But with growing environmental awareness and changes to regulations and consumer tastes, the practice has fallen out of favour.
Japan issued some 218,500 hunting licenses in the 2020 fiscal year, less than half of the 517,800 it issued in 1975, according to official data. While about 98% of those issued in 1975 were for shooting, that figure dropped to 42% in 2020, the most recent data. The remaining licenses are for trapping. About 60% of licence holders were aged over 60, according to 2020 data.
Hunting is expensive, unappealing, and exhausting, the hunters say.
Traps need to be checked daily while bears lurk nearby. Rifle owners must abide by Japan's strict firearms laws and invest in ammunition and gun storage.
Those difficulties came to a head earlier this year in Naie, where hunter Tatsuhito Yamagishi, 72, accused the local government of taking hunters for granted, without investing in a longer-term solution.
"Once we grow old and have no choice but to quit, this reliance on the hunters' association is not going to work," Yamagishi said.
Naie's local government declined to comment on the dispute with Yamagishi but said officials were taking steps to address the bear problem, including working with licensed hunters from outside the area.
Some experts, including Koji Yamazaki, a professor at Tokyo University of Agriculture who studies bears, said depopulation and a decline in the amount of managed farmland in recent decades may have led bears to become bolder about approaching towns. Clearer demarcation between habitats would help humans and bears coexist, he said.
Yoshikazu Sato, professor of agriculture at Rakuno Gakuen University, said bears appeared to be raising cubs closer to human settlements, causing young bears not to fear people as much as before. Climate change-driven shifts in the ripening and flowering of fruits, nuts and leaves may drive bears to raid crops when their usual food sources are low, he added.
"What we need is a daily, consistent effort to make sure that bears don't enter human areas," Sato said.
MONSTER WOLF
Katsuo Harada, an 84-year-old hunter, said that ultimately, Japan should create a system where hunters are paid enough to support a family. "Unless they're paid properly, we can't nurture the next generation of hunters," he said.
Harada carries the scars of a bear attack more than 20 years ago, when the animal sank its teeth into his skull.
"It sounded like it was munching on some raw radish," he said.
He fought off the bear, and his hunting buddies called for help. The subsequent surgery took 16 hours, he said.
Harada is now part of a non-profit organization, Farming Support Hokkaido, that helps communities keep problematic wildlife at bay.
"If I don't keep doing my job, there may be casualties," Harada said.
Japan's environment ministry in September warned about the possibility of a surge in bear attacks towards year-end, when the animals typically scavenge for food to store up fat for hibernation. In 2023, bear sightings and attacks peaked in October, according to official data.
With Japan's population aging and shrinking, some companies are turning to technology to manage bears.
Propped on four rods, the "Monster Wolf" robot sold by Sapporo-based Wolf Kamuy emits growls, barks and threats from a loudspeaker, triggered by a sensor.
Priced at about 400,000 yen and powered by solar energy, the gleaming-eyed beast has demonstrated some success in warding off bears, though its sensor can be triggered by other animals, said company vice-president Yuji Ohta.
But Yamagishi, the hunter in Naie, said it takes years of analyzing paw prints and dung and learning to read bears' signs to understand how to trap them, adding that human expertise will remain integral to managing the problem.
Yamagishi thinks it would take three to five years to train a new generation of hunters.
"By then, we'll all be retired," he said.
© Thomson Reuters 2024.
42 Comments
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SaikoPhysco
I recently purchased a 2nd home near Kobuchizawa in Yamanashi and plan to do a bit of hiking nearby in the mountains, this does concern me. Japan's over regulation regarding guns and hunting will cause more hikers and nearby villagers to die as a result.
oldman_13
Sad to see these beautiful animals killed due to human conflicts
Tokyo Guy
And now we see what happens when nature starts getting her own back on humans after so many years of encroachment and destruction of natural habitat.
fluffy_canyons
Bear spray is the known to be the most effective deterrent.
bass4funk
Doesn't always work
Daisaku
Climate change is affecting the habitat of the bears producing less food and driving them down the mountains in search of food.
Aly Rustom
If possible, instead of killing the bears shoot them with tranquillizers and transport them to a gated bear sanctuary maybe?
Gaijinjland
9,000 bears culled in the past year but people only get upset over the supermarket bear? People really are selective over what they choose to be outraged at on any given news cycle.
dutch
not just pests, but dangerous pests.
Cull them and cull them fast, Japan.
Tokyo Guy
Cull them and cull them fast, Japan
Your answer to everything: kill and destroy.
And you call me negative minded and wonder why I despise humanity?
Tokyo Guy
If possible, instead of killing the bears shoot them with tranquillizers and transport them to a gated bear sanctuary maybe?
Japan is hardly a model of an animal loving society. They only like small cute yappy dogs. Any other animal is basically there to be killed.
Alongfortheride
I would have thought thats a better reason to shoot one than in the middle of the wild!
Macca
@SaikoPhysco
The gun regulations of Japan will never change in the foreseeable future. Your best bet is for Japan to disregard all of the bullsh-ts that PETA and the PC brigade are spewing about the need to conserve those wildlife that are dangerous to human lives, and start culling them and relocating them to zoos or some uninhabited islands.
BB
With Japan's population hollowing out in rural areas, you'd think there might be room to cede more land back to nature and create a buffer in between.
dutch
And who shall pay for this sprawling "gated sanctuary"? How much will the enormous structure that would naturally cover hundreds of square kms cost? Who will pay for the upkeep? the food? All the other unintended expenses you didn't think about?
the bear population is triple what it was in the 90's.
Cull.
mountaingrill
There appears to be conflicting advice on what to do if you happen across a bear. The following seems to be the standard:
Stay Calm and Assess the SituationDo not panic. Black bears are generally shy and will usually avoid humans if they can.
Stop moving and stand still. Do not run, as running may trigger a chase response.
Make Yourself Appear LargerIf the bear is within a safe distance (more than 10 meters away), slowly raise your arms and speak in a calm, firm voice to make yourself appear larger.
Avoid eye contact, as this can be perceived as a challenge. Look at the bear's body, not directly into its eyes.
Back Away SlowlyIf the bear isn’t approaching you aggressively, back away slowly while facing it. Do not turn your back on the bear or make sudden movements.
Create distance between you and the bear, but avoid running.
Carry Bear Bell or WhistleIn Japan, it’s recommended to carry a bear bell or whistle to alert bears of your presence, reducing the chance of surprising one.
Bear spray can be useful, but it’s important to have it easily accessible and know how to use it.
If the Bear Approaches Aggressively:Stand your ground. Black bears often bluff, and they may stand on their hind legs or make noise, but they are generally not aggressive unless they feel threatened or cornered.
If the bear attacks, protect your vital organs (head, neck, chest) and try to make yourself as small as possible by curling up on the ground with your hands behind your neck
Geeter Mckluskie
Humans are "nature" and are the only animals on the planet who care a lick about another creature's natural habitat.
stormcrow
I wouldn’t mind hunting the bears and wild pigs, but it’s way too expensive and difficult. It’s up to the police now.
Hervé L'Eisa
Does Japan not have a Dept or Fish & Wildlife? These officers could be properly trained and tasked with dealing with this and other wildlife-related over-population /nuisance issues. It makes no sense to place the burden on the now rapidly aging & declining numbers of licensed hunters to do the work of the poorly managed government.
TokyoLiving
It's the best for all..
Relocate them..
TokyoLiving
Ooohh, the typical answer to all humanity's problems, kill and destroy.. That's why the world is like this. The bears are not a plague, humans invaded their territories and exterminated them, we are the true plague that ends this world..
OssanAmerica
Been saying it for years now but Japan needs to establish a Conservation Dept, educated in wildlife, trained and equipped to deal with bears, be it trapping tranquilizing or putting down. As it stands today, the police who are not trained in dealing with wild animals are called and the actual shooting is done by civilian Hunters Clubs, whose members are disproportionately old.
Recently in Sunagawa Hokkaido, a Hunters Club was called in and a bear in town was shot. The town then sued the Hunter for firing in a residential zone and took away his gun license. He appealed and won, but was upheld in a higher court. Now the Hunters Clubs in Hokkaido are refusing to respond to requests for bear extermination.
In the US the States have a Fish & Game Conservation Dept which is trained and prepared to deal with all wuildlife issues. They have full law enforcement powers particularly in enforcing the particular state's game ad conservation laws. Here is an obvious case where Japan needs to emulate the U.S.
wanderlust
Around 100,000 shooting licences, but only 9,000 bears trapped and culled. Seems like a lot of these licensed hunters are not using their expertise, or are losing their skills.
OssanAmerica
Thanks for the chatgpt list. But those are for when one confronts a bear in it's own environment, ie; the woods.
The big problem today is bears appearing in cities, towns, residetial areas, supermarkets, etc. where they are not expected. No one carries bear spray or wears bear bells when shopping at the mall.
Aly Rustom
Good point
Aly Rustom
Nothing. There are TONS of unpopulated islands in Japan- Some of the Ogasawara islands would do.
What expenses? Send them to the sanctuary and leave them to fend for themselves. They know how to do it.
As others have pointed out, your take on how to deal with this issue is ridiculous.
KariHaruka
34 years old, Hokkaido resident and hunter. The reason why you aren't getting many younger people getting into hunting is simple. The bureaucracy and expenses incurred to obtain a firearms license and the storing & transportation of the firearms and ammunition simply aren't appealing to most people who might be interested.
Could I do hunting if I didn't already have the money to cover all of the costs and a main source of income? Not a chance!
Aly Rustom
absolutely. right on the money!
If it wasn't so difficult and expensive I would have loved to hunt deer to feed my family venison as it is one of the healthiest meats out there. I don't believe in culling, but hunting for food is different.
fluffy_canyons
What's your alternative, nothing ? Guns are highly illegal here so it's bear spray or nothing basically.
MilesTeg
Not the case here. Rural regions like Tohoku and Hokkaido have been experiencing population decline for decades. With less people there's less development and encroachment.
This has helped the bear population to increase. The result of years of inaction by local and federal governments to properly address the situation. They haven't done enough to control bear the population and this is the result.
DanteKH
@KariHaruka
Thank you for the information. How is this actually working? So first, you need to apply for a gun license. How is the process? What are the reqs?
Then, how about the hunting permit? How do you obtain that too?
Peter Neil
japanese black bears are much more dangerous than north american black bears.
fatalities in north america from black bear attacks are only 70 in the last 120 years. they rarely attack people. japanese bears are much more aggressive.
no food suitable for them. there was a small population on one long ago, and it died out.
Aly Rustom
Thanks for that Peter. Do you know of any other islands that do have suitable food and are not populated?
John-San
Saiko: To the Japanese they see it as regulation need to hunt but see USA gun law as being very irrational regarding firearms, as do most of the world. So please mate stop projecting your so call better managed society norms onto the Japanese.
zulander
Theres a lot more to shoot than bears out there.
Aly Rustom
So I checked on the Brown Bear-
Throughout the brown bear's range, it inhabits mainly forested habitats in elevations of up to 5,000 m (16,000 ft). It is omnivorous, and consumes a variety of plant and animal species. Contrary to popular belief, the brown bear derives 90% of its diet from plants. When hunting, it will target animals as small as insects and rodents to those as large as moose or muskoxen. It is a long-lived animal, with an average lifespan of 25 years in the wild.
Japan's Brown bears number between 2000-3000 and are predominantly in Hokkaido. One solution is to create 2 sanctuaries. One for males and one for females. This would help reduce the number of bears within 25 years to a very manageable population. As is said above these animals mainly live on plants and can survive in places where there are insects as well.
John-San
That Brown bear in above image is edge on to growl by someone teasing it with a morse of food just out of camera. I Condon this with a good slap across the head to the of the head the photographer if I was present.
grc
Agree entirely with oldman_13
dobre vam zajebava
Some countries in Europe are facing same problem/
Romania,Slovakia-both are reducing numbers of bears.
Japan should wake up as well.
John-San
Japanese farmer have dealt with bears without fire arms for enos. When guns did appear when the farmer was allow to utilise it use on bear problem there be lucky to be one gun in the village. There was still small populations of Emishi in Northern Honshu using tradition of hunter/ gather during winter and farming in the summer up until the 1930s still using bows, arrows and dogs. I think the dog is the key to this bear problem. We have the technology of detection that can distinguish a possum from a cat. If utilise with AI to detect a bear and triggered with recorded dogs barking and even images could be the answer to scar the bear away from villages.
wanderlust
@DanteKH - abstract from Japan Gun Control Laws.
Other than the police and the military, no one in Japan may purchase a handgun or a rifle. Hunters and target shooters may possess shotguns and airguns under strictly circumscribed conditions. The police check gun licensees' ammunition inventory to make sure there are no shells or pellets unaccounted for. A prospective gun owner must take an official safety course and then pass a test that covers maintenance and inspection of the gun, methods of loading and unloading, shooting from various positions, and target practice for stationary and moving objects. The license is valid for 3 years. When not in actual use, all guns must be in a locked space. So comprehensive are the gun laws that even possession of a starter's pistol is allowed only under carefully prescribed conditions.
Tthe procedure is similar to this, not necessarily in this order:
Japan’s Process for Buying a Gun
Join a hunting or shooting club.
Take a firearm class and pass a written exam, which is held up to three times a year.
Get a doctor’s note saying you are mentally fit and do not have a history of drug abuse.
Apply for a permit to take firing training, which may take up to a month.
Describe in a police interview why you need a gun.
Pass a review of your criminal history, gun possession record, employment, involvement with organized crime groups, personal debt and relationships with friends, family and neighbors.
Apply for a gunpowder permit.
Take a one-day training class and pass a firing test.
Obtain a certificate from a gun dealer describing the gun you want.
Buy a gun safe and an ammunition locker that meet safety regulations.
Allow police to inspect your gun
Pass an additional background review.
Buy a gun.
Hunters must also register in the prefecture where they intend to hunt. There are four kinds of mandatory licenses for different forms of hunting: with a rifle or shotgun, with an air rifle, with traps, or with nets.
BertieWooster
A poster I saw in Toronga zoo in Sydney made a big impact on me.
"We didn't leave them anywhere to live."
Isn't that the truth!
tora
So that's around 57,000 for both species. And 9,000 were culled just last year alone. If the killing continues at that rate they should be well extinct within 6 years.