Japan to revise law for emergency animal shootings due to rise in bear attacks

Wouldn't it make sense to take a few police officers from each city town, train them with hunting rifles and then when there is an emergency call on them to go to the station, get a rifle and put the animal down? Then they don't have to rely on elderly hunters, and not worry about people having firearms in their homes, but they can still deal with the problem.

In Japan, however, bears have recently been seeking food near human habitats due in part to a poor nut harvest.

It's understandable individuals and communities need to be able to protect themselves from immediate harm. However, the "poor nut harvest" is likely a part of a larger pattern of resource depletion that isn't going anywhere anytime soon and that business as usual will only exacerbate. But it's easier to blame foreign tourists for rice shortage and shoot famished bears (luckily not the other way around yet) than push for any meaningful climate and other environmental action.

That is old style pest control. It out date and inefficient. The latest method of pairing software, AI, robotics and deterrent to kill or warn. This can be fully employ for next season. I have seen it in action and it works very efficiently on feral cat and foxes being able to distinguish from possums and simular mammals . Still have these law changes due to it inefficient of the present method and employ it as last resort.

Wouldn't it make sense to take a few police officers from each city town, train them with hunting rifles and then when there is an emergency call on them to go to the station, get a rifle and put the animal down? Then they don't have to rely on elderly hunters, and not worry about people having firearms in their homes, but they can still deal with the problem.

This is a great suggestion, and makes far too much sense; so it has a snowball's chance in hell of being implemented in glorious Nippon.

Guess that's easier than reversing decades of people ruining the natural habitat of animals and paying the price.

Japan still moving forward in the wrong direction. They want to keep using recreational hunters when they are getting older and fewer by the year. The correct solution is to establish a Conservation law enforcement branch, trained and educated in animal control with legal powers to deploy firearms when necessary.

Ossan, It take 5 years for a citizen from when you apply for a firearm licence to when you can go and purchase one bolt action riffle only or pump action Shot gun. How long to educate and to establish this branch ? which is only need for 5 months of the year. With an automative AI detection system primed with non killing toxic gel pellets station at known areas frequented by bears. It can be up and running by next season. The bear gets real sick, recovers then associates humans areas with getting sick and stop entering these populated areas.

How about keeping people out of their area.

Ossan, It take 5 years for a citizen from when you apply for a firearm licence to when you can go and purchase one bolt action riffle only or pump action Shot gun. 

This is completely wrong.

It takes ten years of non-rifle gun ownership until you are allowed to even apply for a rifle license. You can get a pump action or bolt-action slug gun from the get-go, as your first gun. I have the latter.

What about Hikers? Can we shoot to kill bears if they attack?

Michael Machida

What about Hikers? Can we shoot to kill bears if they attack?

Do you have a gun license?

How long to educate and to establish this branch ? which is only need for 5 months of the year. 

I dunno, but the military seems to be able to train their soldiers/marines in 90 days.

Ask Grok:

Japan does not have a direct equivalent to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. However, Japan has several agencies and organizations that handle wildlife and environmental conservation:

Ministry of the Environment (MOE): This is the primary governmental body responsible for environmental protection, including wildlife conservation. They oversee policies related to biodiversity, natural parks, and endangered species.

Japan Wildlife Research Center (JWRC): This organization conducts research on wildlife and supports conservation efforts, often in collaboration with the MOE.

Nature Conservation Bureau: A part of the MOE, this bureau focuses on the conservation of natural environments, including wildlife habitats.

Local Government Agencies: Prefectural and municipal governments also play roles in managing local wildlife, often through their own environmental departments or in coordination with national policies.

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): Various NGOs like the Wild Bird Society of Japan or the Japan Wildlife Conservation Society work towards wildlife protection, often filling gaps where government action might be limited.

While these entities collectively address issues similar to those managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, their structure and focus might differ due to cultural, legal, and environmental differences between the two countries.

I reckon, shooting a rifle one an as you go range to hit a static target at 80m is one thing. military training? having the experience to take out an animal that can swipe your body (mmh bad bad) another mental state. I disagree with any public gun ownership, although I had a 0.22 license in my earlier years (gamekeeper uncles). guns entice criminals?? legal killing tools into public populations. too many already. Please rafer to Churchill town?? Canada. and how they teach population and manager polar bear carnivores on their doorsteps. I ain't going to cheat and check since their latest fatality, I guess 20yrs. Experience is there if the planet's inhabitants were willing to share, learn and adapt to local problem.

John-SanToday  10:36 am JST

Ossan, It take 5 years for a citizen from when you apply for a firearm licence to when you can go and purchase one bolt action riffle only or pump action Shot gun. How long to educate and to establish this branch ?

We all know the lengthy time it takes (years) to go from smoothbore shotgun to rifle is for civilians in Japan. Not relevant to my point. Japanese police officers are trained and authorized to carry a firearm in 1.5-2 years, as part of their training. Japan already has government agencies involved with the environment, nature and conservation. They could work with the Police Dept to create an agency to enforce conservation laws and take the burden off of the "Hunting Clubs" which presently have an average age of 60 (with many long time members 70s/80s) and few new young members joining. Relying on these Hunting Clubs for animal control is probably not going to be feasible 10 years down the road.

10 years just to get a shot gun ticket, are you serious? I thought that the UK had tight laws,

10 years after getting your shotgun, before you can apply for a Rifle permit.

I live in Washington for many years. I’ll also retired military. We apply or buy hunting permit for deer every October. We also have double permit to shoot bears if necessary meaning if your life is in danger. We also wear bright orange vest and hats to be visible to other hunters as precaution

I really don’t like the idea of people to get a hunting rifle or a shot gun. To untrained hands it will be very dangerous. Even if you are trained. If you miss the target and many hunter or shooters will , the possibility of hitting another life is certain. Remember a practice target is stationary. Bears and wild animals move. Faster than anything you can think of. Bears will charge you if it sense danger or protecting their cubs. It’s more dangerous. I believe it will be better to train some responsible police officers to take care of bears. You only need two officers in every sectors. Just like K9 team.

now a days we have drones. The are cameras even in the mountain. I understand the dangers confronting a wild animals but remember bullets don’t stop until it hit something and bullets don’t discriminate.