The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has begun discussing a plan to gradually lift its ban on capturing Asiatic black bears. The move comes as bear-related damage has spread to areas near Tokyo.
Tokyo Reviews Lifting Capture Ban for First Time in 18 Years
According to the Yomiuri Shimbun on the 8th, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government reportedly held a natural environment conservation council meeting the previous day to discuss a phased lifting of the ban on capturing Asiatic black bears.
Tokyo has designated Asiatic black bears as protected from capture since 2008. However, as bears inhabiting forests adjacent to Yamanashi and Saitama prefectures have grown in number and increasingly appeared in residential areas, the government is reportedly reviewing plans to lift the capture ban starting next year.
The Asiatic black bear population within Tokyo is estimated to reach up to 378. Rather than managing them uniformly, however, the metropolitan government appears to have set a policy of dividing the area into zones such as bear habitats, buffer zones, and enhanced management zones.
In seven municipalities with frequent bear sightings due to mountainous terrain, including Hachioji and Okutama, urban areas and rivers that serve as bear movement corridors will be designated as management zones with strengthened surveillance and capture efforts, along with the installation of electric fences.
Japan, a Global 'Bear-Dense Nation,' Continues to Suffer Casualties
According to Ministry of the Environment estimates, approximately 56,000 bears inhabit Japan nationwide. Excluding Canada, Russia, and the United States, no country has more bears, making Japan one of the world's most bear-dense nations given its land area.
Hachioji has reportedly taken measures such as distributing bear-warning bells to elementary school students in the city and installing capture traps. In Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, continued reports of bear sightings in the city center led universities and elementary and middle schools to successively cancel classes or close.
In Japan, bear attacks on people have continued this year, following last year. At least five people have reportedly lost their lives to bears since April 1. As fear spreads, bear spray made with capsaicin extracted from chili peppers and black pepper has emerged as an essential item for hikers. Local government heads across Japan are repeatedly urging people to refrain from entering mountains for recreational purposes.
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