Feb 21, Kathmandu- After an increase in human encounters with wild animals, Japan's cabinet passed a bill on Friday that would allow people to shoot bears at their own discretion.

In the 12 months to April 2024, 219 people were attacked by bears across the country and six people died.

Climate change is affecting bears' food sources and hibernation periods, and an aging society driven by a declining birth rate is forcing the animals to increasingly venture into cities in search of food.

The government has approved the "emergency shooting" of bears under the revised Wildlife Conservation and Management Law, following widespread complaints that delays in the necessary procedures put human lives at risk from wild animal attacks.

"The environment ministry will present the bill to parliament in the coming months and pass it before autumn," an environment ministry official told AFP on condition of anonymity. Currently, it is prohibited to shoot animals such as bears or wild boars in residential areas.

Due to existing legal provisions in Japan, the police do not allow civilians to shoot bears in response to their entry into densely populated areas.

"The police can issue such an order only when a person is seconds away from being attacked," said a ministry official.

“Under current rules, police approval must be sought only when no one is in danger,” he said.

Last December, a bear roamed around a supermarket in northern Japan for two days.

A 47-year-old man was wounded in this attack. In Japan, more than 9,000 bears were killed in the 12 months to April 2024.