According to preliminary data from the Environment Ministry, incidents involving bears have occurred mainly in Hokkaido and the Tohoku region, but also in Tokyo and western Japan. The numbers are concerning:
– **2023:** 219 victims (6 deaths)
– **2024:** 85 victims (3 deaths)
– **2025 (as of October):** 109 victims (6 deaths)
The number of victims in the first half of fiscal 2025 has already surpassed the total for 2024, and fatalities have reached the same level as the record year of 2023.
Bears, which naturally fear humans, are now appearing even in urban neighborhoods. Nao Ikushima, a reporter operating the HBC wildlife monitoring site Kuma Koko, explains that this phenomenon is not simply due to a rise in bear numbers. In many regions, changes in human society play a major role.
Bears are not invading towns to attack people; rather, human activity patterns have changed. Depopulation has led to the disappearance of fields and gardens that once separated forests and homes. The reduction in human presence has brought the forest edge closer to residential areas.
Ikushima adds that green corridors such as riverbanks and vacant lots now connect forests directly to urban zones, making it easier for bears to stray into human spaces. She warns that people who believe bears no longer appear in their region need to recognize that this is no longer an era where that can be taken for granted.
Broadcaster Takahiro Inoue noted that municipalities and hunting associations are now attaching GPS collars to bears to study their movements, aiding in better understanding and management.
Commentator Daimao Kosaka emphasized the need to maintain balance. In the past, buffer zones called *sato* helped separate humans and wildlife. He stressed that we shouldn’t overreact by hunting excessively, but instead calmly prioritize human safety while managing encounters responsibly.
Nationwide, sightings and attacks have expanded beyond Hokkaido. In the Osaka area, data comparing 2007–2011 and 2020–2024 shows both a broader range of sightings and a sharp increase in cases involving the Asian black bear.
Ikushima notes that fear alone is counterproductive. “Many people are frightened because they don’t know much about bears,” she said. Understanding bear behavior allows us to have an appropriate level of caution and prevent accidents.
She stressed that because the causes of bear encounters lie in human society, so do the solutions. Countermeasures vary depending on each community’s circumstances:
– If garbage attracts bears, remove the source.
– If fields draw them in, install electric fencing.
– If green corridors connect to neighborhoods, mow vegetation.
At the same time, residents’ preferences must be respected—for instance, preserving greenery while keeping routes like school paths safe.
Ikushima concluded, “Communities need to decide what kind of town they want to live in, and choose bear-management strategies accordingly, through dialogue between residents and local governments.”
https://newsonjapan.com/article/147221.php