Topic Overview:
Japan has been facing a serious issue of wild bears coming down into towns where people live, and 13 people have become victims, marking the highest number on record. Since April 2025, bears have appeared in supermarkets, schools, and even inside houses on a daily basis. Because of this, the government has legalized the use of guns to shoot wild bears as a way to deal with the problem. Experts say the reasons why bears are appearing more frequently include a fast growing bear population, a shortage of acorns, their main food source and a decreasing population in rural areas. This news has also been recognized by foreign countries. The United States Embassy in Tokyo and the British government have issued warnings, advising people to be cautious and avoid walking alone in areas where bears have been sighted.
Personally, when I first heard that guns were legalized for situations involving bear encounters, I felt uncomfortable and stressed. It’s not the bears’ fault for coming into human villages. They are also victims in this world, they come down from the mountains because they don’t have enough food to survive. Is that a sin? All these questions came to my mind before I read the article.However, through reading this article and the news reports, I realized that innocent humans are also losing their lives at the same time. On both sides, there are things that must be protected. This might be the law of nature.
Why I decided to focus on this issue:
The wild bear issue has become a significant topic recently. Being aware of the situation and keeping a safe distance from wild animals can help protect your life. Many people tend to run away when they encounter a bear because most of them do not know how to respond properly in such a situation. The correct action is to keep a safe distance and avoid running.
Afp. (n.d.). Law allowing Japanese police to use rifles against bears takes effect. Japan Today. https://japantoday.com/category/national/japan-police-can-use-rifles-against-bears#:~:text=Police%20in%20Japan%20can%20from,sighted%20or%20stay%20away%20altogether.
Bergström, K. (2025, August 31). Bear safety in Japan. JapanTravel. https://en.japantravel.com/guide/bear-safety-in-japan/71888
Ryall, J., & Ryall, J. (2024, April 25). Japan’s bears in ‘bad mood’ and hungry as attacks on humans surge. South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3260262/japans-bears-bad-mood-and-hungry-attacks-humans-surge
Assault Weapon Regulations: New legal considerations in light of BRUEN | Rockefeller Institute of Government. (n.d.). Rockefeller Institute of Government. https://rockinst.org/blog/assault-weapon-regulations-new-legal-considerations-in-light-of-bruen/
This post is well organized, attractive, and you cited an impressive number of sources. I was interested to learn that even the US and British embassies have issued warnings that advise their citizens to be cautious and avoid walking by themselves in areas where bears have been seen.
ReplyDeleteI like the way you show that your views about this issue changed a bit after you read articles about the issue, first siding more with the bears, but gradually taking a more balanced view.
As you mention, one of the reasons that bears are coming into contact with humans more is the fact that Japan's rural areas are so depopulated. Bears see _their territory_ as being larger than before.
I suppose we could challenge the bears views about what constitutes "their domain" by making it a point to hike more in the mountains near human settlements. I lived in Shimane for nearly a year recently and I was one of the only people in the town (Hamada) who hiked in the surrounding mountains. So, it is no wonder that bears think they can enter the outskirts of the town freely. People need to reassert their territory even if that means going into territory that the bears think they own. We have to go in prepared with bear spray, bells, and an escape strategy.
I read same news before and surprised that it is legal to use guns in Japan. I know people living near the locations are suffering and scaring bears, but it is also that bears are part of wild life and not their fault as you said in this article, so I think we should find better solutions.
ReplyDeleteYour article on government responses to rising traffic accidents compellingly outlines both the policy measures being proposed and the dilemma between punitive and preventive strategies. You highlight how stricter penalties may prevent dangerous behavior, yet solutions like improved infrastructure and driver education could address root causes. This juxtaposition made me reconsider a simplistic belief that harsher punishment alone reduces accidents—your argument shows that legal measures must be balanced with social support systems to be effective.
ReplyDeleteLinking this to Japan’s context, where “safety culture” has historically been strong, I reflected on how societal norms interact with formal regulation. For example, while fines and enforcement might work in some contexts, in communities where risk-perception is low or drivers feel overconfident, infrastructure design and education may be more impactful. This also resonates with concepts from public policy theory about the limits of deterrence versus capability-building: policy works best when it changes both incentives and capacities.
One area I’d like you to expand on is the measurement of policy success: in your view, how should governments evaluate whether stricter laws or educational programs actually reduce accidents over time? What metrics or evaluation methods would be most convincing to policymakers and the public?