Japan eyes tax relief for bear hunters

The Japanese Environment Ministry is considering waiving the hunting tax for hunters involved in bear culling operations, in response to a surge in bear attacks across the nation. This move aims to alleviate the financial strain on hunters and ensure their safety as they tackle the bear population. The tax relief would apply to instances where emergency culling measures are employed, allowing hunters to shoot bears that venture into residential or other inhabited areas.

Currently, hunters are required to pay a hunting tax of between ¥5,500 and ¥16,500, depending on their license category, for each hunting season and in each prefecture. This tax obligation becomes increasingly burdensome for active hunters who operate across various regions. To address this issue, the ministry plans to exempt hunters from the tax in emergency shooting cases and during population control culling operations.

Details of the exemption will be based on the existing special incentive system, which currently exempts hunters appointed by local governments to address damage caused by wild animals from the tax, and grants a 50% reduction to hunters who cull animals for specific purposes upon obtaining permits from relevant local authorities. The ministry notes that bear sightings reached a record high of over 50,000 in fiscal 2025, and 13 people were killed in bear attacks during that period.

The ministry emphasizes the urgent need to capture bears and control their population, particularly considering the aging hunter population and the shortage of successors. By providing support to those engaged in publicly funded hunting operations, the government seeks to reduce bear-related damage and casualties.