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Meet the aging hunters who fight bears in rural Japan

STORY: A shot rings out in rural Japan. A bear collapses in a cage. “This brown bear came too close to a human community. He wasn’t here, but over there in the middle of the city and on the streets nearby. In such a situation, we have no choice but to trap them. Bears are coming closer to their homes and endangering people’s lives. The safety of the townspeople often falls on the shoulders of a dwindling group of aging hunters, like 75-year-old Haruo Ikegami. “I’m often the first to get there when they get caught like that, and I always say, ‘Oh come on, are you in there yet?’ I can’t stand it.” Once a common sight among the trees, hunters like Ikegami are now older and fewer in number than before. :: Time is running out Japan’s population is aging and shrinking. In 2020, about 60% of gun license holders, like Ikegami, are over 60 years old. And in areas where bears roam, some residents wonder what will happen when these hunters can no longer do their job. In the town of Naie, Tatsuhito Yamagishi has accused the local government of taking hunters for granted: “They say we should train new hunters, but there is no specific information on how we should do it. Who will deliver the training and workshops? In a few years, when we (hunters) are all over 70 years old, will there be anyone left who could teach people how to hunt bears even if they wanted to?” The local government of Naie refused Commented on the dispute with Yamagishi, but said officials were taking steps to address the bear problem. Japan’s Environment Ministry says it subsidizes local governments to train officials and conduct bear exercises. But the country’s reliance on recreational bear hunters could become unsustainable, according to Japan’s Environment Ministry, according to hunters themselves, officials, local residents and experts spoken to by Reuters. :: BOLDER BEARSBoth black and brown bear habitats have expanded, partly due to depopulation in rural areas, experts say. Some believe this and less cultivated farmland could make the bears bolder. And the animals appear to be raising young closer to human settlements, causing them to be less afraid of humans than before. All of this has contributed to an increase in incidents between humans and bears. In the twelve months to March 2024, 219 people were attacked. Six fatal. According to the Japanese Environment Ministry, more than 9,000 black and brown bears were captured and killed during this period. 84-year-old Katsuo Harada bears scars from more than 20 years ago when a bear sank its teeth into his skull. “It was like this.” it gnawed on a raw radish, scratching and crunching. I fainted at the sound and don’t know what happened after that. “Harada is now part of a group that helps keep problem wildlife in check.” I feel like I have to protect the people who live here. Whenever I set a trap, you saw today there are four locations, I am driven by the thought that if I hadn’t set the traps someone could have been killed. Cage with bait, like a deer carcass, salmon or honey. The trap is designed so that the animal steps on a metal plate as it approaches the bait, and the door then closes with the animal and can involve licensed hunters to care for the captured bear and feed it until it is killed. As an alternative solution, some companies are turning to technology. This “monster wolf” robot growls, barks and makes threats. This costs about $2,500 triggered by a sensor and powered by solar energy. It has shown some success, but Yamagishi explains that it takes years for people to learn how to catch bears and insists their expertise remains indispensable :: DWINDLING FRONTLINEIn response to the increase in attacks, the Japanese government has this This year proposed a relaxation of gun use rules to make it easier to shoot bears in urban areas. But hunters say it’s difficult to find new recruits because the job is expensive, unattractive and stressful. Some receive 8,000 yen, or about $50, from the local government for killing a bear. This could cover costs and fuel, says Ikegami, but little else. They suggest that a system is needed where hunters are paid enough to support a family. Because if the younger generation doesn’t pick up the torch, the last line of defense will soon be gone.