Tokyo is set to restart the controlled hunting of Asian black bears nearly two decades after the practice was halted, as encounters between residents and the animals continue to increase.
The new culling programme is scheduled to begin in April next year under a five-year bear management plan approved by an expert panel advising the Tokyo metropolitan government.
Under the plan, licensed hunters will be allowed to kill up to 34 bears annually in western parts of Tokyo and along river corridors that lead towards populated areas.
The decision comes amid a sharp increase in bear sightings across the region. Authorities recorded 70 sightings in 2021, rising to 114 in 2023 and then reaching 213 in 2025. More than 40 per cent of the reported encounters now take place within 200 metres of homes and agricultural land.
Officials estimate that between 120 and 378 bears live in the Tokyo area. That translates to roughly one bear for every two square kilometres of forest. The population estimate is based partly on DNA testing of hair collected from traps, allowing researchers to monitor the animals and track their movements, according to The Japan Times.
The new policy will restrict culling to licensed hunters operating in seven municipalities: Hachioji, Machida, Ome, Akiruno, Okutama, Hinode and Hinohara.
Tokyo stopped bear hunting in 2008 after Asian black bears were classified as a near-endangered species requiring protection.
Within the Tokyo metropolitan area, the bears are mainly found in the mountainous region around Okutama, which borders Saitama and Yamanashi prefectures.
Although no fatal bear attack has been recorded in the Tokyo region, the wider situation across Japan has become increasingly serious. Bears killed a record 13 people nationwide last year, while at least five people were killed in bear-related incidents between April and June this year.
Experts say several factors may be contributing to the growing number of encounters. These include poor harvests of acorns and other nuts, changes in bears’ hibernation patterns, the shrinking populations of rural communities and a decline in the number of licensed hunters.
For generations, traditional Japanese mountain hunters known as matagi played an important role in controlling bear populations. However, their numbers have fallen considerably, weakening a traditional system of wildlife management.
The growing threat has been particularly noticeable in other parts of Japan, including Akita, where authorities have taken increasingly aggressive measures. In some areas, military personnel have been brought in to help set traps for bears.
The increase in sightings has also disrupted daily life. Some schools have been forced to close after bears were spotted nearby, while hikers in affected areas have been advised to carry bells and travel in groups when using forest trails.
Source: Independent
