• Affected governments take steps to remove fruit trees that may attract bears

ISTANBUL

Japan has deployed drones blaring sounds of dog barking and fireworks to scare bears from residential areas, even as Tokyo tweaked laws to allow police to kill the wild animals using rifles.

The government in central Gifu province began using drones last week to “drive away bears” from inhabited areas in Hida city, according to Japan News. Authorities equipped drones with speakers to play hunting dog sounds or fireworks to push bears deep into the mountains.

Local governments are taking steps to take down fruit trees that may attract bears, according to the Yomiuri newspaper.

The Yamagata prefectural government, which approved a ¥53 million ($338,290) emergency bear countermeasure fund Monday, plans to remove the trees within the month.

Meanwhile, the Fukushima prefectural government, which approved a ¥29.72 million ($189,500) fund in October, will dispatch experts to seven districts under its jurisdiction upon request to guide tree removal by the end of the month.

Since April, at least 13 people have been killed and more than 100 others injured in bear attacks in Japan, according to the Environment Ministry.

At least two drones were flown over an orchard last Friday, where bear droppings and half-eaten fruit had been found. Locals reported that bears had caused “considerable damage” in the area. The drone flights could be increased depending on their effectiveness.

Earlier this month, soldiers were deployed to combat the growing bear attacks in the country’s northeast. New rules passed by the government in September now allow police officers "to use rifles to kill bears,” taking effect last Thursday.​​​​​​​