Tokyo International News Agency

Haruo Ikegami, a hunter from Sunagawa City, Hokkaido, has won a landmark victory in the Supreme Court, overturning the revocation of his firearm permit related to a brown bear culling operation. The Supreme Court ruled the Hokkaido Public Safety Commission's decision illegal, bringing a conclusion to a seven-year legal battle. The lawsuit originated from an incident in 2019 when Mr. Ikegami was dispatched to cull a brown bear at the request of Sunagawa City. During the operation, a ricochet from his rifle accidentally struck a building. The Hokkaido Public Safety Commission subsequently revoked his hunting license, but Mr. Ikegami filed a lawsuit, arguing that the revocation was unjust. Both the Sapporo District Court and the Sapporo High Court had previously ruled against Mr. Ikegami, making the Supreme Court's reversal a highly anticipated and significant decision. The Supreme Court criticized the Hokkaido Public Safety Commission's revocation, deeming it an "abuse o...

In a case involving the revocation of a male hunter's gun permit after culling a brown bear in Sunagawa City, Hokkaido, the Supreme Court on March 27, 2026, delivered a judgment declaring the revocation illegal, thereby cementing an overturned victory for the hunter. This landmark ruling marks the first time the judiciary has recognized the agonizing decisions made on the front lines of wildlife damage control, bringing an end to a long-standing dispute. The incident originated in 2018. Haruo Ikegami, then head of the Hokkaido Hunting Association's Sunagawa branch, responded to a request from Sunagawa City to cull a brown bear that had appeared in an urban area. City officials and police were present. Although initially hesitant because it was a cub, Ikegami ultimately fired, taking maximum safety precautions. However, a ricocheting bullet struck a nearby building, leading the Hokkaido Public Safety Commission to revoke Ikegami's hunting gun permit. In response, Ikegami fil...

Around 2:15 PM on November 8th, a bear appeared and temporarily remained in the train depot within JR Shinjō Station in Shinjō City, Yamagata Prefecture. As a result, Yamagata Shinkansen Tsubasa No. 150 (an outbound train departing Shinjō Station at 3:17 PM) was suspended between Shinjō Station and Yamagata Station. Station staff successfully confined the bear within the depot, and it was safely captured around 4:00 PM using a box trap set by Shinjō City and other relevant parties. According to JR East, no injuries to people or damage to trains were reported due to the bear. In recent years, bear sightings have been increasingly frequent across various parts of Japan, with intrusions into human habitats such as urban areas and even train station premises becoming a serious concern. This incident at Shinjō Station drew significant attention among residents and railway users as another example of bears expanding their activity range. Although there was a temporary period of tension at th...

In response to a series of bear attacks causing human casualties in Akita Prefecture, Governor Kenta Suzuki has announced his intention to request the Ministry of Defense to consider dispatching the Self-Defense Forces (SDF). This move has ignited a vigorous debate on social media, with calls for saving human lives intertwining with questions and concerns regarding the legal basis and effectiveness of SDF deployment. In recent years, bear sightings have become frequent nationwide, and in Akita Prefecture, human casualties have become particularly severe. With the growing recognition that conventional responses by local hunting associations and the police are reaching their limits, Governor Suzuki plans to visit the Ministry of Defense early next week to formally request a concrete consideration of SDF deployment. In response to the governor's request, voices on social media are welcoming and supporting the deployment, with comments such as "The SDF is the last resort" and...