This is Hanamaki in Iwate Prefecture.

S/ Reporter / We can see police officers wearing helmets. One has a shield in his hand.

Rocket fireworks were shot toward an apple orchard.

S/ Reporter / Something black just moved. A bear! It’s a bear.

This is an Asiatic black bear, an adult over 1 meter long.

The bear entered a home yard and then disappeared.

Bear sightings in urban areas continue across Japan.

A bear appeared in the central district of Akita where the prefectural government office is located.

In Sendai, a bear appeared in a residential area.

In Akita Prefecture, a bear entered an Aeon mall where workers managed to confine it near the furniture section before calling the police.

Prefectural officials tranquilized the bear with a blow dart and captured it.

It was a cub about 83 centimeters long.

No one was injured in the incident.

In Hokkaido, a large bear estimated to weigh about 400 kilograms was filmed overturning a cage trap.

Footage from an unmanned camera set up by a local hunting association shows the bear pushing over the trap that weighs about 300 kilograms.

The bear apparently approached the trap as it contained deer bones, skin and organs but was not caught.

Multiple bear tracks have been confirmed in the area this month, and local authorities remain on alert.

In response to incidents like these, police officers were given permission to use rifles to kill bears under certain conditions starting November 13.

But if a bear is not killed with one shot, it can become more aggressive.

That is why the police will use special bullets for bear removal.

We sought more information concerning the police use of rifles.

We spoke with the Hanamaki hunting association’s chairman who taught police officers how to shoot bears.

He has been hunting bears for 55 years.

S/ Hanamaki hunting association chairman / They run incredibly fast, so I taught them not to feel safe even if they feel there is still some distance. And don’t approach immediately thinking the bear is dead after it’s shot. They play dead.

He said the key is to kill the bear with a single shot.

Where should they aim that one shot at?

S/ Hanamaki hunting association chairman / If they stand up, it’s here. Right under the ring here. Shoot here.

Because an injured bear can become more aggressive, it’s necessary to aim for the vital spot—the heart.

The bullets for bear removal are also special.

S/ Hanamaki hunting association chairman / They’re using soft point bullets which have very strong killing power.

Ordinary hard-tipped bullets retain their shape after impact and sometimes pass through the target, possibly causing secondary damage.

However, a soft point round deforms on impact and usually remains inside the target, causing more damage internally.

Experts say soft point bullets are thus more ideal for use near populated areas where an increasing number of bears are being sighted.