IWATE, Feb 27, 2026 (News On Japan) - Although February is typically the height of the hibernation season, bears have already been sighted across Japan, raising concerns of another wave of deadly encounters.
On February 12th, at a time when bears are normally still hibernating, a single bear believed to be an Asian black bear was seen walking across a snowy mountain in Hakusan City, Ishikawa Prefecture.
According to the Nature Conservation Center that filmed the animal, bear sightings in the area usually begin around mid-March, meaning the bear appeared roughly one month earlier than usual.
On February 13th in Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture, another bear was spotted. During efforts by a local hunting association to drive it away using fireworks, one male member was attacked and injured.
Further north, on February 24th, a bear was also seen at Shunkunitai in Nemuro, Hokkaido. At around 8 a.m., photographers who had gathered to capture images of wild birds noticed a single bear walking in the distance near the lake.
One witness said: "We saw something black moving. When I quickly brought my camera over to check, it was a bear walking. It's unusual for this time of year."
The area is known as a popular destination for bird photographers, and another sighting had reportedly occurred the previous afternoon.
Amid the growing encounters, Hokkaido has already recorded a record number of brown bear captures. In fiscal 2025, the number of captured bears reached 2,013 as of the end of January, surpassing the previous high of 1,804 recorded in fiscal 2023.
In the Kanto region as well, two bear sightings were reported on February 23rd along a riverbed in Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture.
Why are sightings occurring so frequently despite the hibernation season?
Takanori Yamauchi, associate professor at the Faculty of Agriculture at Iwate University, said: "This is normally a period when bears are hibernating, so sightings at this time are extremely rare. It is an abnormal situation not seen in typical years. The end of hibernation is said to be strongly influenced by rising temperatures and snowmelt. If spring arrives earlier, bears may awaken sooner than we expect."
Yamauchi added that nuts and other food sources in the mountains have not yet fully developed, raising the possibility that bears may descend into residential areas in search of food, and he urged the public to remain cautious.
Source: FNN
