Vehicle collisions involving bears in Japan's Akita Prefecture, northeastern Japan, have surged to a record 118 this year as of October, more than five times the total for all of last year, prefectural police announced.

Japan's National Police Agency on Thursday amended rules to allow police officers to use rifles to cull bears, following a recent surge inbear attacks on humans.

A 79-year-old woman was found dead Monday morning in the mountains of Akita Prefecture, northeastern Japan, in what police believe was a bear attack.