Overview
- Japan’s National Police Agency revised National Public Safety Commission rules to allow officers to use rifles for bear control.
- Hokkaido Prefectural Police are studying the use of their firearms-countermeasure unit for bear response and are mapping force posture and operations.
- The unit’s past training targeted gun-related crimes rather than wildlife, so police plan expert-led instruction on bear anatomy, behavior, and culling protocols.
- A new government package encourages retired Self-Defense Forces and police personnel to obtain hunting licenses and assist, with experts warning that substantial preparation is essential.
- Former Ground Self-Defense Force commander Katsuki Takada cautions that military rifle skills do not equal hunting proficiency, as active SDF support remains limited to unarmed logistics such as transporting trap boxes in Akita.