Japan’s Response to Rising Bear Threat: Amended Hunting Law

• Japan is amending laws to allow “emergency shootings” of bears encroaching populated areas due to escalating bear attacks.
• A quarter of Japanese firms are positive about reskilling workers to improve labor productivity, with Honda and Nissan considering a manufacturing partnership.
• Kyoto University and Kajima Corp. are developing a lunar habitat capable of generating artificial gravity, while Toho Co. starts using hydrogen-fired electricity.
• World figure skating champion Kaori Sakamoto clinches her fourth consecutive national title, set to compete in the world championships in Boston.

In response to the escalating bear attacks in Japan, the government is considering a significant change in the law. The proposed amendment would allow municipalities to authorize emergency shootings by hunters when animals, particularly bears, encroach into populated areas. This move is a reaction to the increasing bear attacks, which have been attributed to the animals seeking food near human habitats due to a poor nut harvest. The Environment Ministry reported a record high of 219 casualties, including six deaths, from bear attacks in the year through March 2024.

The current law prohibits hunting with firearms in residential areas or places where people congregate, such as train stations or plazas. However, the proposed amendment to the law on wildlife protection and management is designed to enable quicker and more effective prevention compared to the existing measures, which only permit police to authorize emergency shootings when people are in immediate danger.

The government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, aims to submit the proposed amendment to parliament during the ordinary Diet session slated to begin in January. If approved, the revised law is expected to take effect in 2025. This move is seen as a proactive measure to protect citizens from the increasing threat of wildlife, particularly bears, in populated areas.

Reskilling Workers and Automotive Industry Developments

In other news, about a quarter of Japanese firms are positive about reskilling their workers, a move seen as essential for improving labor productivity. However, only a small percentage are actively taking steps toward that goal, according to a survey by Teikoku Databank Ltd. The government of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba views increased investment in human resource development as critical for Japan, expecting that as more people acquire new skills, their wages will rise.

In the automotive industry, Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. are considering launching a manufacturing partnership in which they will build vehicles at each other’s plants. This potential merger could create the world’s third-largest automaker group by volume.

Meanwhile, Japan’s competition watchdog plans to order U.S. IT giant Google to halt violations of the country’s antitrust law. The watchdog suspects that Google has unfairly pressured smartphone manufacturers to pre-install its search app.

Space Exploration, Renewable Energy, and Sports

In the realm of space exploration, a Japanese university and construction company have partnered on research to develop a lunar habitat capable of generating artificial gravity, enabling people to live on the Moon under conditions similar to those on Earth. Kyoto University and Kajima Corp. aim to construct a ground-based prototype of the Neo Lunar Glass, a paraboloid structure that generates gravity through rotation, by the 2030s.

In the entertainment industry, Toho Co., the creator and film producer behind the hit Godzilla series, has started using hydrogen-fired electricity for its main studio in Tokyo, becoming the first company in Japan to commercially use such power.

In the field of sports, reigning world figure skating champion Kaori Sakamoto clinched her fourth consecutive and fifth national title overall, holding off a challenge from 16-year-old Mao Shimada. Sakamoto is now set to compete in the world championships in March in Boston, where she will try to win for the fourth straight year.