A member of Japan Self-Defense Force holding a shield during a practice session to trap bears in Kazuno, Akita Prefecture, Japan on Nov 5, 2025. - Reuters
TOKYO: The decision to allow rifle-carrying riot police officers to cull wild bears in Akita and Iwate prefectures has been welcomed locally, but some observers have also warned that successfully culling the animals will be a challenging mission.
Japan’s National Police Agency (NPA) on Friday (Nov 7) revised the rules of the National Public Safety Commission to enable police officers to shoot and cull bears that appear near human settlements.
