Allow Foreign Hunters to Hunt in Japan

My name is Eric Rose and I live and hunt in Japan. I am trying to make it possible for foreign hunters to enjoy the great hunting Japan has to offer, make positive impacts on local economies, and help return deer populations to management goals.

If you are a hunter, an ecologist, or simply a person who cares about animals, please take the time to read below.


This petition is being monitored by The Ministry of the Environment of Japan.


To those interested in hunting in Japan:


Due to various environmental factors, the deer(sika) population of Northern Japan has been increasing over the last decade. This has caused numerous problems for the government on many fronts. Culling has been instituted, but in many places deer numbers continue to increase.

Hunting seasons have been extended three times in the last three years, now double the period it was in 2008. A hunter here can enjoy six full months of hunting, but an existing problem is that average age of Japanese hunters is over 60, and most of them don't hunt deer properly. Some of them actually have to be paid to go hunting as most of them are not motivated. If things were to continue this way, in ten years deer numbers will have exponentially increased as the number of hunters dwindle.

The government of Japan spends the equivalent 10's of millions of dollars annually to curb the situation, perhaps it is time for Japan to realize the potential of the "problem" they have.

Hunters from overseas are highly interested in the bountiful hunting and extreme sika trophies in Japan and are generally much safer and experienced than their Japanese counterparts.

I propose Japan exploits this opportunity which would be beneficial to many local economies and the government.

Here are my proposed requirements:

Hunters would be required to pay the government a fee of В10000
(approx $82US) for each deer taken, no matter the sex or size.

Hunters would be required to hire a local hunter as a guide and follow all instructions.

Hunters would be required to take a short course on safety and local laws once arriving.

Hunters would join the local hunting club which provides insurance for accidents.

If the deer population here continues to increase, one can expect a certain major die-off in the future, most likely during a hard winter where deer will endure months of starvation. Hunters offer a more ethical solution, which includes harvesting the venison.

Please support the environment and my cause