Rifle-Armed Police Begin Bear Control Operations in Northern Japan

Nov 13, 2025 | News On Japan

AKITA, Nov 13, 2025 (News On Japan) - Police bear control units were formally deployed on November 13th in Iwate and Akita prefectures, where the number of bear attacks has become increasingly severe, following the recent authorization for officers to use rifles in bear extermination.

In Iwate Prefecture, a deployment ceremony was held in front of the riot police barracks in Takizawa City, where senior prefectural police officials delivered speeches to the newly organized bear control team, which includes members of the riot police and firearm countermeasure units dispatched from other prefectures.

A similar ceremony took place in front of the Akita Prefectural Police Headquarters in Akita City, where Police Chief Minoru Kobayashi addressed the team, urging members to carry out their duties with vigilance and safety. The new authorization allows police officers to respond more swiftly and effectively to bear encounters that threaten human lives in the two prefectures, which have recorded some of the highest numbers of bear-related injuries and fatalities this year.

Source: Kyodo

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