Japan Police controls bears using rifles

Japan’s National Police Agency (NPA) has decided to let police officers use rifles against bears posing a danger to humans in Akita and Iwate prefectures. The move is in response to a surge in incidents there involving the bears. The NPA is sending officers to the two northern prefectures starting Thursday. It plans to have them begin bear-culling operations next week at the earliest.

The agency had been studying the use of rifles by police officers, in addition to the existing system in which the police, in principle, ask hunters to cull bears. The NPA said it wants to work in coordination with local governments to deal with emergency bear situations and ensure the safety of residents.