A police squad inspected areas on Tuesday where bears have been spotted in Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture, in northeastern Japan.
The move came ahead of a bear culling operation scheduled to start on Thursday.
The National Police Agency decided earlier this month to send officers equipped with rifles to Iwate and Akita prefectures to join the operation. Bear attacks on humans have surged in the two prefectures.
The squad, comprised of officers from Iwate prefectural police and those from outside the prefecture, visited the banks of Nakatsugawa River that runs through the prefectural capital.
A bear was spotted in the shrubbery of the backyard of a municipal office building near the river on October 23. Bear sightings have also been reported in residential areas near the river.
Police officers who dealt with the bear on October 23 briefed the squad members on the encounter.
Local hunters also provided tips on targeting bears that roam in undergrowth, and advice on how to avoid ricochets from bullets as the banks of the river are bordered by stone barriers.
Yuzawa Yuji of the Iwate prefectural police said the police will share knowledge with local hunters and use police equipment in jointly culling the animals.
The squad members will attend a training session on Wednesday in neighboring Takizawa City to learn about the behavior of bears in the woods.

Quiz 1:
Where did the police squad visit to inspect areas where bears have been spotted?
A. Sapporo City, Hokkaido Prefecture
B. Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
C. Tokyo Metropolitan Area
D. Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture

Quiz 2:
What is the schedule for the bear culling operation in Iwate and Akita prefectures?
A. It started on Tuesday
B. It will start on Thursday
C. It ended last week
D. It was scheduled for next month

Quiz 3:
Who will join the police officers in the bear culling operation in Iwate and Akita prefectures?
A. Local hunters and other police officers from outside the prefecture
B. Police officers only
C. Wildlife conservationists and farmers
D. The National Police Agency and local police departments