Japan's government wants to help local towns and cities use artificial intelligence and drones to track bears. Environment Minister Hiroyoshi Sasagawa shared the plan in an interview in Tokyo on Monday.
The move comes as the country sees a rise in bear-related incidents. Bears are expected to become more active in the coming weeks before they go into hibernation.
Sasagawa took office in the Cabinet reshuffle on Sept. 17. The interview covered bears, nuclear cleanup soil, and climate change.
Faster Action on Bears
Sasagawa said quick action on bears will give the public "a sense of security." He pointed to an emergency culling system as one tool.
Under this system, municipal governments can decide to allow shooting in residential areas and other places where people live. The decision rests with local officials.
The government will also work to raise public awareness about the danger of bears. Sasagawa said this will be done "in various ways."
He also spoke about the need for more workers to handle the problem. "We need to consider, in the medium to long term, how we should secure personnel to tackle bear-related issues," he said.
Fukushima Soil and Climate Goals
Sasagawa discussed soil removed during decontamination work linked to the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. The plant is run by Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings.
The plant in Fukushima Prefecture was badly damaged by the powerful earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. Cleanup work in the area has produced soil that now needs to be recycled or disposed of.
The government plans to build public understanding of recycling this soil. Part of that effort will take place at visitor centers in national parks.
Fukushima Gov. Masao Uchibori has raised concerns about the lack of details on the plan for final disposal of the soil outside the prefecture. Sasagawa said the government must "sincerely take" the governor's sense of crisis.
He said he will ask government ministries and agencies to add more regional offices that recycle the soil. "We will offer full explanations to local governments to help them better understand the importance of the issue," he said.
On climate change, Sasagawa said he does not believe cutting carbon emissions will slow the economy. "I don't think that promoting decarbonization efforts will hinder economic growth," he said.
He argued that new technology built to solve climate problems can help make Japan more competitive.
Sasagawa also said the actions of China and the United States matter. The two countries are the world's largest and second-largest emitters of greenhouse gases.
"Japan's contributions to climate measures across Asia could generate benefits for the global community," Sasagawa said.
For now, bears remain a pressing concern. With the animals expected to become more active before hibernation, the ministry plans to push its safety message to the public in the weeks ahead.
