Moves to Raise Compensation for Licensed Bear Hunters Spreading in Niigata Pref. as Bear Sightings Increase

By Kan Tokui / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

6:00 JST, October 29, 2025

NIIGATA — With bear sightings increasing in populated areas, moves to compensate licensed hunters more for capturing bears are spreading within Niigata Prefecture.

In September, a revised law made it possible for municipal governments to authorize hunters to engage in “emergency hunting with guns” or use guns against bears in residential areas. Hunting association members and others have have welcomed the moves, although they have voiced concerns about the increased risks they face.

Hourly wage Increase

According to the prefecture and other entities, compensation for capturing bears is decided by each municipality in consultation with local hunting associations, among other parties.

A Yomiuri Shimbun survey found that, among 24 municipalities in the prefecture where bears were spotted this year, six cities — Nagaoka, Kashiwazaki, Shibata, Agano, Uonuma and Tainai — had either increased or begun to consider increasing the compensation this fiscal year.

This fiscal year, Shibata city government increased the daily allowance for hunting association members called upon to work from ¥3,000 to ¥5,000. It also established a system to pay the hunters an additional ¥8,000 for emergency hunting.

The city said it raised the compensation to reflect hunters’ increased responsibility, in accordance with a request from a local hunting association. The association said it wanted the hunters to be compensated for the increased risks they face now that the emergency hunting measures have been implemented.

Other municipalities have also raised or are set to raise their compensation rates.

This fiscal year, the Nagaoka city government started paying licensed hunters ¥20,000 per bear captured in addition to the ¥1,500 hourly wage it usually pays. Meanwhile, the Uonuma city government raised its hourly wage by ¥300 to ¥1,500 this fiscal year.

The city of Tainai plans to increase its hourly wage for emergency hunts to ¥2,500. The city also plans to raise its standard ¥1,000 hourly rate for hunters providing regular services next fiscal year.

The Agano city government is considering raising its daily allowances for hunters from fiscal 2026. A city official acknowledged that the current allowance of ¥3,000 is “definitely too low.” Kashiwazaki city government is also considering increasing compensation.

‘Fair compensation’

“We appreciate moves to increase compensation,” said Tsuneo Ishikawa, 76, head of the Kitakanbara branch of the Niigata prefectural hunting association. Ishikawa has been involved in bear hunting in the Kaetsu region for about 50 years.

In June, Ishikawa captured a bear that had appeared in residential areas and rice fields in Agano after cooperating with city officials and police to get the animal to move to an uninhabited area. The operation lasted about 10 hours, but he only received ¥3,000 as a daily allowance.

“I hope improvements will be made so that we can receive payments consistent with the risks we face,” Ishikawa said.

— Many in their 60s, 70s

Even if compensation is increased, there remains a serious shortage of people taking up the work.

According to the prefectural hunting association, it had 2,201 members as of March. In the same month in 2022, there were 2,256 members, indicating that membership has been declining each year. Many of the members are in their 60s and 70s, and only a limited number of people are said to have the skills to use firearms to capture bears.

To obtain the hunting licenses required for bear hunting, it is necessary to attend classes hosted by the prefectural government and others and pass a relevant exam. The process is said to take about a year.

Capturing bears in urban areas requires even more advanced skills, as care must be taken to ensure gun shots do not damage buildings and other property.

The prefectural hunting association focuses on training to nurture personnel capable of capturing bears. It held training sessions twice from late last month to earlier this month at a shooting range in Nishikan Ward, Niigata, in preparation for emergency hunting, and about 80 people took part.

Emphasizing that the association’s efforts are “not volunteer services,” association chair Tomio Ikeda, 76, said appropriate compensation is necessary for their work.