Japan Looks At Easing Rifle Restrictions To Combat Bear Attacks

On the subject of bears and bear attacks, the Asahi Shimbun reports: "Hunting rifle ban to be adjusted after bear attacks increase." According to Environment Ministry records, Japan suffered a record 219 bear attacks in fiscal year 2023 with 6 fatalities; and just since April 2024, there have been 34 people injured and 2 people killed in bear attacks. Thus, the Ministry is looking at easing restrictions on using hunting rifles in urban (yes, urban) areas. 

    The current law prohibits the use of hunting rifles in urban areas, with two exceptions.

    A hunting club or other group can only shoot a bear if a police officer is present and instructs them to fire.

    The other instance is responding to the situation as an unavoidable act, which is considered an “emergency evacuation” under the Penal Code.

    However, there are cases where it took an officer a long time to grant permission and others where the trapper was questioned about the legality of their choice after taking the shot.

I don't see how having a police officer with little or no experience with shooting--far less than their American counterparts, anyway--let alone hunting, would make a difference, but I'm not a government bureaucrat so perhaps there is something I'm missing. The article continues:

    In May, a panel of experts proposed a policy allowing the use of hunting rifles in cases where there is a real threat of harm to people.

    The panel also proposed allowing the use of hunting rifles to kill bears captured with box traps.

    The panel requested that the law be revised.

    However, there is the risk of bullets ricocheting and hitting someone or damaging a building. Injuring a bear could also increase the level of danger if the animal grows agitated.

    And going to the other side of the world, "Horror as teenage tourist is attacked by a bear which then dropped her 330ft down a cliff to her death in front her shocked boyfriend while she was hiking in Romania." 

    The unnamed 19-year-old woman was hiking in the Bucegi mountains in central Romania, near the city of Brasov, on Tuesday when she was attacked and dragged away by the animal.

    According to the victim's boyfriend, the bear first grabbed the woman's leg and hauled her off the path before throwing her 330 feet down a cliff, where her body was later found and recovered by emergency services. 

    In order to retrieve the body, rescuers faced a difficult mission as the animal remained nearby. This resulted in them having to put down the vicious bear, who remained nearby and was particularly aggressive, according to authorities. 

The article suggests that this type of attack is unusual. It then adds:

    According to government figures, there are around 8,000 brown bears in the Romanian Carpathians. It is the second largest bear population in Europe after Russia.

    The World Animal Foundation said that between 2016 and 2021, Romania had experienced 14 fatalities and 158 injuries from bear attacks.

    And back to the United States: "Ultra-runner attacked by bear while running in Yosemite Valley." 

    A California ultra-runner was attacked by a bear while finishing up a 50-mile run through Yosemite Valley over the weekend.

    Jon-Kyle Mohr was less than a mile away from a triumphant finish to his lengthy sprint Sunday night when he collided with the large, adult black bear, he told the Los Angeles Times on Monday. 

Fortunately for Mohr, the bear was more interested in escaping than mauling him, and he suffered only minor injuries. The article notes: "There have been 10 bear 'incidents' this year in Yosemite, down 9% from last year, when there were 38 incidents in total, according to the park’s website."