Tag - hunting

 
 

HUNTING

A bear that appeared in the city of Sapporo in June 2021
JAPAN
Feb 21, 2025
Japan to approve shooting of wild bears that wander into town
After the amended law is enacted, brown and black bears will be designated as "dangerous animals" along with wild boars under a government ordinance.
An Asian black bear preys on a live deer caught in a trap in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, in May, in this image from video footage shot by researchers.
JAPAN
Jan 27, 2025
Black bear caught on camera attacking trapped deer in rare footage
The discovery suggests that if bears learn to associate traps with easy prey, the risk of encounters with humans could rise.
A sign warns of a nearby bear sighting in Takikawa, Hokkaido, on Oct. 17.
JAPAN / Society / Regional Voices: Hokkaido
Dec 30, 2024
Hokkaido 2024: Looking back on Rapidus, bears and shinkansen
The key topics are expected to continue making headlines in 2025.
A sign warns of a nearby bear sighting in Takikawa, Hokkaido, in October.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Dec 9, 2024
Firearm permit ruling casts shadow over work of Hokkaido bear hunters
A local high court upheld a decision to strip a hunter of his permit over allegations he fired in the direction of buildings during a culling.
Moved by an experience with a local hunter, Shota Sasaki has since focused on elevating the image of game meat in Japan.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants
Aug 11, 2024
Elezo Esprit: A visceral celebration of Hokkaido’s wild game
Game meat specialist Elezo Esprit has hunters on staff who are directed to ensure the animals they supply arrive at the butchery within an hour of being killed.
A record 219 people were attacked by bears across Japan in fiscal 2023.
JAPAN / Society
Jul 22, 2024
Hokkaido city deploys drones for bear management
The city of Nayoro will use drones — equipped with cameras and speakers — to locate bears when sightings are reported and help direct residents to safety.
A sign warning about the frequent appearance of bears in Tono, Iwate Prefecture, in April 2021
JAPAN
Jul 8, 2024
Japan moves to permit use of rifles to hunt bears in residential areas
Under a proposed legal revision, hunters would be allowed to fire rifles if there is a risk of human injury or a bear has entered a building.
Under the light of a moon partially obscured by clouds, the eyes of a dozen deer glow uncannily in the dark on South Korea's island of Anma.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jul 2, 2024
Swelling deer herd overwhelms South Korean islanders
The government is weighing a petition to designate the deer as "harmful wildlife" to clear the way for hunting and other measures.
Hjelmer Hammeken, Greenland's greatest polar bear hunter, rides his dog sled to look for seals on the sea ice outside Ittoqqortoormiit, on the frozen Scoresbysund Fjord.
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change
Jun 19, 2024
On thin ice: Greenland's last Inuit polar bear hunters
Climate change and hunting quotas have been threatening the livelihood on which Inuit families have long survived.
The entrance to Maruyama Park, one of Sapporo's most popular parks for summer recreation. The Maruyama Park area is part of a designated region where Sapporo plans tougher bear countermeasures, including the possible use of bear traps.
JAPAN / Society / Regional Voices: Hokkaido
May 27, 2024
From coexistence to separation: Sapporo's battle with bears
An increasing number of bears in Hokkaido is forcing the prefectural capital to change its strategy for dealing with the animals.
Black bears have been added to the list of "designated wildlife species for control" by the Environment Ministry.
JAPAN
Apr 16, 2024
Japan adds black and brown bears to subsidized hunting list
The government is stepping up the control measures as bear attacks on humans hit a record high in fiscal 2023 that ended in March.
Naoko Motooka began hunting 10 years ago. Her hobby is one way Hokkaido hopes to curb a current boom in the deer population.
PODCAST / deep dive
Feb 15, 2024
Hunting in Hokkaido; Taylor Swift comes to Tokyo
You probably don’t think of guns when you think of Japan, but Hokkaido’s hunters do.
A sea turtle swims off the coast of Brazil. Sea turtles can migrate hundreds or thousands of miles.
ENVIRONMENT / Wildlife
Feb 14, 2024
Overhunting and habitat loss endanger migratory animals, U.N. says
One in five migratory species is at risk of extinction, according to a new report by the United Nations.
Japanese regulations determine which hunters can handle certain firearms based on the individual's experience and the level of rifling in a long gun's barrel.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Feb 3, 2024
Hokkaido hunters say more firepower means more humane kills
A revision to Japan’s firearms laws would mean new hunters would be temporarily limited to less potent shotguns.
JAPAN
Jan 15, 2024
Japan to bolster measures against bears waking up from hibernation
Each prefecture will be given ¥3 million to ¥5 million in financial resources to help with the measures.
A hamburger using boar meat
JAPAN
Jan 7, 2024
Japanese ministry promotes game meat consumption
The amount of game meat used at restaurants in Japan rose by 1.6-fold to 2,085 tons in fiscal 2022 from six years earlier.
A boar captured in a project to connect farmers and young hunters
JAPAN
Nov 26, 2023
Efforts underway to help license holders get hunting experience
Crop damage and and dangerous animal encounters are on the rise in Japan, but active hunters are dwindling.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jul 22, 2023
In Quebec, seal hunters want public to see practice in new light
Hunters hope to rehabilitate the image of the hunt, with the support of fishers who are worried about dwindling fish stocks.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants 2021
Aug 21, 2021
Uozen: Where hunting, fishing and nature find harmony
Swapping the concrete jungle of Tokyo for rural Niigata Prefecture, chef Kazuhiro Inoue has created inventive menus starring locally sourced produce, seafood and game meat.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
May 8, 2021
Why wild animals are making their way back onto plates across Japan
In the past few decades, hunting wild animals has made a comeback in Japan, and gibier (as game is called) is finding its way onto upscale tables across the country.

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji