Japan’s aging population has led to some unexpected consequences. One of them is hunting. Fewer and less-mobile hunters mean fewer people to help control Japan’s wild animal population. Japan’s deer and wild boars are taking that as a sign that it’s time to revolt against human rule.
A wild boar appears!
Boar sightings have been fast and furious this past month. In some cases, it’s led to some close calls that could have ended in fatalities.
One driver in Aichi Prefecture clipped (or nearly clipped) a boar as it darted across the road. Their rear camera caught a small family of wild boar following in its wake. An oncoming car stopped just in the nick of time[1].
In a separate incident in Aichi’s Nagoya, two large boars in Mamoriyama Ward started barreling down on a group of 10 people. They were saved by a police officer who shot his gun in the air and shouted, “I’ll shoot!” (撃つぞ！). The boars, who’ve obviously been practicing their Japanese, stopped in their tracks and sauntered off to less gun-filled pastures[2].
Aichi isn’t the only prefecture overrun by boars. In Itazu in Kagawa Prefecture, three people are charged by a boar and suffered injuries, including bites[3].
Nagoya officials are telling people if they see wild boars not to throw anything at them or make loud noises, Instead, citizens are encouraged to back away slowly.
Japan’s hunting decline
Meanwhile, Nagoya is readying a more proactive solution: hunting.
Gun use in Japan is strictly regulated. (That’s one reason the assassination of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, who was killed with a homemade weapon, was so shocking.) Possession of firearms for self-defense or personal amusement is strictly prohibited. You can own a gun for the purposes of hunting. However, it requires both receiving a license from your local ward as well as registering your firearm with the police. (There are different licenses and regulations depending on whether you’re planning to use an air-powered gun or a gunpowder weapon.)
Wild boar aren’t the only population that hunting keeps in check in Japan. Deer are also a problem, not just for people, but for the environment. Deer eat into tree bark and other vegetation, resulting in desiccation that reduces Japan’s biodiversity. Wild animals also go after crops, resulting in reduced agricultural yields.
However, it’s unclear how long hunting will prove an effective strategy. According to Japan’s Ministry of the Environment, the number of hunters in Japan peaked in the 1970s at around 500,000. That number is down to 200,000.
What’s more, young people aren’t taking up the mantle from their elders. Of the remaining 200,000 hunters, the Ministry of the Environment says over 60% are age 60 or older[4].
Hunting associations and local governments across Japan have conspired on ways to get more people into hunting. They include holding licensing tests on non-work days and holding special events advocating the “charm” of hunting[5]. However, none of these tactics have stopped the decline.
Release the drones
With human resources dwindling, local governments are resorting to another tactic: technology.
We wrote previously about how Yamaga Prefecture is using drones to track animals in a bid to save crops. Tohoku Drone’s Matrice 300RTK quadcopter drone can zero in on locations down to 1cm. It’s helping farmers determine where the weak spots in their defenses are.
Meanwhile, the city of Fukuchiyama in Kyoto Prefecture has found another use for drones: as hunting aids. The city’s hunting club is using drones that bark like dogs. The idea is to use them to drive animals toward hunters who may no longer have the stamina and strength to go trekking through the woods[1].
In the meantime, if you live in one of the areas of Japan overrun by wildlife, be vigilant. Or, you know, take up hunting. Your call.
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Sources
[1] イノシシ猟に新兵器投入 出没相次ぐ中“悩み”軽減. FNN News
[2] 名古屋 イノシシに出くわしたら”刺激せず後ずさり”. NHK News Web
[3] イノシシ相次いで出没 ３人けが 宇多津町. NHK News Web
[4] 狩猟の魅力まるわかりフォーラムとは。Hunting Portal Site, Ministry of the Environment
[5] 「若者の狩猟離れ」が深刻化 クマ駆除に支障きたす可能性、猟友会は会員確保に奔走中. Excite
