Japanese Riot Police Authorized To Use Rifles To Cull Out-of-Control Bear Populations After Record Number of Attacks on Humans
Over 70 attacks on people in a single month put Japanese bears in Japanese police’s crosshairs.
Japan Authorizes Police to Use Rifles in War Against Rampaging Bears
Japan has officially declared open season on dangerous bears after a surge in brutal attacks forced the government to deploy police and military units to confront the growing threat.
Authorities say more than 70 people were attacked in the past month, prompting an emergency response that now includes armed riot police and trained marksmen.
For weeks, officials focused on capturing and relocating the animals. But that changed this week when the National Police Agency (NPA) announced a major shift in policy — officers will now be allowed to “cull wild bears with rifles” under newly revised rules.
According to The Japan Times, police will begin culling operations in Akita and Iwate prefectures, where attacks have spiked. The NPA will deploy riot police teams to both regions on November 13, following specialized training sessions that start this week.
Previously, officers’ roles were limited to protecting residents and issuing safety alerts. However, a shortage of licensed hunters has pushed the government to authorize direct intervention.
Japan is deploying troops to a mountainous region of Akita, besieged by bears.
Since April, bears have injured more than 100 and killed 13 people — the highest toll over the past decade. pic.twitter.com/6vgkxx6STO
— DW News (@dwnews) November 7, 2025
“Due to a shortage of hunters, the NPA decided to take part in direct culling after receiving requests for support from the two prefectures,” the report said.
Each team will consist of two shooters, a commander, and a liaison officer who will coordinate with local authorities. The new guidelines permit the use of rifles in “wildlife control operations,” a significant expansion of police authority.
Officials say the new rules are meant to protect the public, not to indiscriminately hunt wildlife. Police are authorized to shoot only when bears enter populated areas or pose an immediate danger that local hunters cannot manage.
The scale of the problem is unprecedented. Since April, Japan has recorded over 100 bear attacks, many in the northern regions where forest habitats border shrinking rural towns.
One survivor, 68-year-old Keiji Minatoya, recounted his horrifying encounter to Reuters.
“The bear pinned me down and mauled me,” he said, describing deep cuts to his face and bite marks on his body. “While it was on me, there was this terrifying roar… that sound is burned into my head.”
Minatoya was airlifted 37 miles to Akita City for emergency treatment and survived — but now insists the government must act decisively.
“Bears that attack have learned that humans are weak,” he said. “I don’t hate all bears… but the one that almost killed me? I would eat it.”
Wildlife experts warn that depopulated towns and abandoned buildings are making it easier for bears to wander into human settlements. Recent sightings have even been reported around Kyoto and Tokyo, raising fears the crisis could spread to Japan’s urban centers.
As operations ramp up next week, authorities say the goal is simple: protect human life first — and restore safety to communities living on the edge of Japan’s shrinking wilderness.
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