Japan's Spring Bear Hunt Underway Amid Early Sightings

Japan is actively tackling its growing bear population through a fully underway spring bear hunting season, a measure deemed crucial for preventing damage to communities. The Straits Times reports on the government's commitment to its bear population control roadmap, including an expanded subsidy program for 2026. This initiative is particularly vital as bears are appearing in urban areas earlier than usual, as seen in the Tohoku region. The urgency is palpable, with local hunting associations, like the one in Niigata Prefecture, commissioned to capture a specific number of bears. Methods such as drive hunting and den hunting are being employed, with hunters noting the advantage of tracking on snow-covered mountains. While spring bear hunting was historically linked to traditional medicine and fur, the current focus is on public safety and coexistence. The government's increased subsidies signal a serious, nationwide effort to mitigate human-bear conflict, a problem that has escalated in recent years, forcing a shift from conservation-only approaches to more active management. This proactive stance aims to reduce bear numbers before they venture into populated areas and to instill a natural fear of humans in the wildlife, thereby preventing future conflicts.

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This is our first drive hunt of the season. We’ve been asked to capture 100 bears, so I want to get some good results.