Tokyo Lifts 20-Year Bear Hunting Ban Starting 2027 After Rising Attacks

Tokyo announced on June 16 that it will lift a 20-year ban on Asian black bear hunting starting in 2027. The decision comes after bear sightings and attacks surged in the past year, including a fatal encounter in May. The city will create a new management plan by the end of 2026 to set hunting rules, hunter qualifications, and capture limits.

Why Tokyo Is Reversing Its Protection Policy

Tokyo banned bear hunting in 2008 to prevent the species from disappearing. But recent surveys show bear numbers are rising. In 2025, bears appeared in urban areas 212 times, nearly double the 114 sightings in 2023. In May 2026, a foreign man was seriously injured in Okutama, and a body possibly killed by a bear was found nearby. Bears now appear in cities like Hachioji and Hamura, far from their traditional mountain habitat near the Saitama and Yamanashi borders.

How the New Hunting Rules Will Work

Tokyo’s Environment Bureau chief stated hunter skills will be standardized through rules set with hunting groups. The city will define which areas allow hunting, set capture limits, and create a plan to train hunters. Current emergency hunting only applies when bears threaten people in cities and has never been used. The new system will allow planned hunting in mountains to reduce bear numbers before they enter towns.

National Policy Shift Supports Tokyo’s Move

In April 2026, Japan’s Environment Ministry updated its wildlife guidelines to shift from protection to active management. Tokyo will also work with neighboring prefectures on regional bear control. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police began operating an armed response team equipped with rifles on June 12. Tokyo’s plan will include zoning to separate bears from human areas, clearing brush to keep bears away from villages, and coordinating with Saitama and Yamanashi on cross-border strategies.

Challenges in Finding Qualified Hunters

Tokyo has about 3,800 licensed rifle hunters as of 2021, down 2,000 from 2003. The Environment Ministry tracks this as a constraint on hunting capacity. Tokyo must recruit and train new hunters to execute the expanded hunting program. The city plans to develop a hunter training strategy as part of its management plan, though the details remain under review by the Natural Environment Conservation Council.

Final Thoughts

Tokyo’s decision to resume bear hunting reflects a policy shift from protection to management as populations grow and urban encounters increase. The city must finalize its management plan by end of 2026 and recruit qualified hunters to implement the new rules starting 2027.

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