Government eyes supporting use of AI and drones to manage bear population

In response to a rise in bear-related incidents, the government hopes to support municipalities that adopt artificial intelligence and drones to track them, Environment Minister Hiroyoshi Sasagawa said Monday.

In an interview, Sasagawa emphasized that prompt action — including using an emergency culling system, in which shooting is allowed in residential and other inhabited areas based on decisions by municipal governments — will give “a sense of security” to the public.

The government will raise public awareness about the danger of bears “in various ways” as they are poised to become active from now before hibernation, Sasagawa, who took office in the Sept. 17 Cabinet reshuffle, said.

“We need to consider, in the medium to long term, how we should secure personnel to tackle bear-related issues,” he also said.

Sasagawa also said the government plans to promote public understanding regarding the recycling of soil from decontamination work related to Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings’ disaster-stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, partly through visitor centers at national parks.

The plant in Fukushima Prefecture sustained heavy damage in the March 2011 powerful earthquake and tsunami.

While citing the need to “sincerely take” Fukushima Gov. Masao Uchibori’s sense of crisis over the lack of details about the government’s plan on final disposal of such soil outside the prefecture, Sasagawa said he will ask government agencies and ministries to increase 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, “I don’t think that promoting decarbonization efforts will hinder economic growth,” arguing that technological innovation aimed at overcoming related challenges will help enhance competitiveness.

Moves by China and the United States, the world’s largest and second-largest emitters of greenhouse gases, are important, he said.

“Japan’s contributions to climate measures across Asia could generate benefits for the global community,” Sasagawa added.