Society

Rifles Approved for Bear Culling

TOKYO, Nov 07 (News On Japan) - The National Police Agency announced on November 6th that it has revised the National Public Safety Commission regulations to allow police officers to use rifles for bear control. The amendment will take effect on November 13th.

By the end of November 5th, a total of 13 people had been killed in bear attacks this fiscal year—more than double the record-high toll in fiscal 2023—prompting authorities to take urgent measures.

Earlier this week, the agency dispatched officials to Iwate and Akita prefectures, where bear-related damage has been severe, to assess local needs and current conditions. Based on their findings, the agency decided to expand the permissible use of rifles, which had previously been limited to cases such as hijacking incidents, to include bear culling.

National Police Agency Commissioner Yoshinobu Kusunoki said, "Starting today, November 6th, we have begun dispatching rotating support units from other prefectural police forces to Iwate and Akita, where the damage has been particularly serious. We aim to establish a system that allows for bear culling operations by November 13th."

According to the agency, firearm response units from other prefectures have already been deployed to Iwate and Akita. Before operations begin on November 13th, officers will receive training on bear behavior and vital points, as well as rifle shooting practice with bear culling in mind.

After the amendment takes effect, each of the two prefectures will have two four-person teams—comprising two snipers, one field commander, and one liaison officer responsible for coordination with local governments. In situations where local emergency hunting teams cannot respond in time, police officers will carry out bear culling operations under the Police Duties Execution Act.

Source: TBS

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Garbage Burnoff Spreads to 3 Buildings in Okayama

A fire that broke out in Kagamino, Okayama Prefecture, shortly after noon on May 20th destroyed three buildings, including a home, after flames from open burning spread to dead leaves and then to nearby structures.

Gang Members Arrested After Opening Office Near Nursery

Six people, including a senior member of a group affiliated with the Sumiyoshi-kai crime syndicate's Kohei-ikka faction, have been arrested on suspicion of opening a gang office in a prohibited area near a nursery school in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward.

Six Police Officers Injured After Man Sprays Liquid at Station

A man who visited a police station in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, in the early hours of May 21st allegedly sprayed a transparent liquid inside the building, causing six police officers to complain of eye and throat pain and be taken to hospital with minor injuries.