The Environment Ministry on Tuesday added black bears and brown bears to the list of wild animals subject to the "designated wildlife species for control," a status that includes partial government subsidies for hunting costs.
The government is stepping up the control measures as bear attacks on humans hit a record high in fiscal 2023 that ended in March. This marks the first expansion of the list since Japanese deer and wild boars were added in 2014.
At a news conference Tuesday, Environment Minister Shintaro Ito emphasized the government's commitment to bolstering regional subsidies for bear management. "We will make preparations so that the subsidies will be ready in time for the start of bear control this fall,” he said.
Brown bears are found in Hokkaido, and black bears inhabit the islands of Honshu and Shikoku. Notably, black bears from Shikoku, which are at risk of extinction, were exempt from the new designation. Bears have been considered extinct on the island of Kyushu since 2012.
The decision follows a February meeting where an expert panel advised the ministry on ways to mitigate bear-related damages. The panel recommended the inclusion of bears as controlled species but cautioned against excessive hunting, noting bears' lower reproductive rates compared to other designated species such as deer and boars.