HOKKAIDO, Oct 10 (News On Japan) - Bear attacks are intensifying across Japan, with fatalities in fiscal 2025 already matching the record high set in 2023. Experts warn that the rise reflects not only an increase in bear numbers but also changes in human society that have blurred the line between mountain habitats and residential areas.
According to preliminary data from the Environment Ministry, incidents have occurred mainly in Hokkaido and the Tohoku region, but also in Tokyo and western Japan.
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,” said the phenomenon is not just due to a rise in bear numbers. “In many regions, changes in human society play a major role,” she said. “Bears are not invading towns to attack people, but human activity patterns have changed. Depopulation has led to the disappearance of fields and gardens that once separated forests and homes, and the reduction of human presence has brought the forest edge closer to residential areas.”
Ikushima added 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. “People who believe bears don’t appear in their region anymore need to recognize that this is no longer an era where that can be taken for granted,” she said.
Broadcaster Takahiro Inoue noted that municipalities and hunting associations are now attaching GPS collars to bears to study their movements. Commentator Daimao Kosaka emphasized the need to maintain balance. “In the past, buffer zones called ‘sato’ helped separate humans and wildlife,” he said. “We shouldn’t overreact by hunting excessively, but 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 said fear alone is counterproductive. “Many people are frightened because they don’t know much about bears,” she said. “Understanding their behavior allows us to fear them appropriately — 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.”
She 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.”
Source: TBS
