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With an increase in human injuries caused by bear attacks, particularly in the Tohoku area of northeastern Honshu, Japan, police mobile units have opted to collaborate with the Self-Defense Forces in efforts to eliminate bears.

On the 7th, social media shared a six-second video that said, “An employee was on the way to a ranch to deliver nighttime feed around 7:30 p.m. the day before when they came across a bear.” The video showed a bear running after a car on a dark road after sunset. There were also images displaying a vehicle that was damaged due to a bear attack.

The individual who posted the video stated, “Although the employee was not injured other than this event, we request people living nearby or traveling through the area to stay alert.”

As per the Japan Environment Ministry, there were initially 20,792 reported bear sightings between April and September this year. The count of deaths caused by bear attacks hit a new peak of 13.

Several incidents occurred, including a bear entering an inn in Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture, and a bear with a crescent-shaped chest breaking into an elementary school and shattering its windows.

As a reaction, the Self-Defense Forces were sent in. They do not eliminate bears but assist with tasks like setting up big traps and moving captured bears. Staff members wear bulletproof vests and have shields, bear spray, and 165 cm-long poles.

Furthermore, Japan’s Korean National Police Agency updated the regulations of the National Public Safety Commission on the 6th, permitting the use of rifles to eliminate bears that approach residential areas. Previously, rifles were only allowed for preventing and addressing violent crimes, but the range has been broadened due to the frequent sightings of bears, making it challenging for people to go outside in certain regions. The police will start using rifles for bear removal starting from the 13th.

Asahi stated, “The police on duty are part of the mobile unit’s firearms countermeasures team, initially assigned to counterterrorism,” and mentioned that elimination efforts will commence following an understanding of bear behavior and a review of locations where bears have been spotted.

Nevertheless, the Mainichi Shimbun mentioned that the count of bears seen in villages is predicted to rise this year because of a significant shortage in beech nut production, which serves as their main diet. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi commented on the 7th about bear control, saying, “Since this concerns life, we will take essential actions quickly and in an orderly manner.”