The Japanese government is taking decisive action to address the escalating issue of bear attacks across the country, particularly in Hokkaido and Akita prefecture. In response to a record number of incidents this year, including 12 fatalities, the Environment Ministry has announced plans to allocate funds for hiring licensed hunters and other personnel to manage bears encroaching on residential areas. This initiative follows a high-level meeting convened to tackle the growing threat to public safety. Authorities are also considering empowering police officers to use rifles against bears, with final counter-measures expected by mid-November. The problem has been exacerbated by bears breaking into supermarkets, schools, and attacking residents, including a foreign tourist near a bus stop. Akita prefecture, with its extensive mountain ranges, has reported the highest number of casualties. To assist, Japan’s Self-Defense Forces will be deployed to help capture and repel bears, although current laws prohibit them from shooting the animals. The aging and declining number of hunters, coupled with climate change affecting food sources like beech nuts, has left populations more vulnerable to attacks. In September, Japan relaxed gun regulations to facilitate the shooting of bears in residential areas, reflecting the urgency of the situation.