In Akita Prefecture, the ban on hunting black bears and other bears was lifted from November 11, and in the Ani district of Kitaakita City, "matagi" whose job is to hunt animals prayed for the safety of hunting at a shrine.
There are two types of bear capture: "pest control" in which bears are captured in cages requested by municipalities for safety, and "hunting" in which bears are hunted with guns in the mountains, and on November 11, the ban on hunting black bears and other bears was lifted in Akita Prefecture.
In response to this, in the Ani district of Kitaakita City, which is known as the birthplace of Matagi, five people, including Hideo Suzuki of Matagi, visited the local shrine and prayed for the success and safety of the hunt.
Mr. Suzuki thought that there were few bears in the mountains due to the lack of food, and he drove around to see if the bears had come down to the village.
The number of bears caught by hunting in Akita Prefecture is usually about 1 every year, but the number of people injured by being attacked by bears has reached a record high, and the prefecture is considering providing incentives for capture to prevent damage caused by bears.
Hideo Suzuki of Matagi said, "It's an unusual situation where bears that are sensitive to human eyes appear in nearby rice fields, etc., and there are few bears in the mountains now, so I want to see how it is and start hunting."