Japan is facing a bear crisis like never before, with a record nine people killed by bear attacks in 2025, prompting the country’s new Environment Minister to promise tougher action.
Hirotaka Ishihara, appointed just last week under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, called the attacks “a big problem, a serious problem” and vowed stronger measures, including training more government hunters and controlling the bear population.
The spike in attacks is linked to Japan’s ageing and shrinking population, as bears increasingly wander into towns, schools, parks, and even stores. This year’s fatalities have already surpassed the previous high of five in 2023-2024. Recent victims include a man in his 70s found dead while picking mushrooms in Iwate prefecture and another person discovered in a forest near a hot spring.
On October 22, a bear attacked a couple in their 80s outside their Fukushima home, injuring their faces and necks. Both Asian black bears (moon bears) and the larger brown bears of northern Hokkaido have been responsible, creating widespread fear in communities.
Thousands of bears are culled annually, but Japan’s declining number of hunters due to its ageing population makes controlling the threat more challenging. Minister Ishihara emphasized urgent action, warning that the government is committed to “strengthening measures to protect human lives while managing bear populations.”
With bear sightings now increasingly common in urban and rural areas, authorities warn residents to stay vigilant—Japan’s bear problem is no longer confined to the mountains.
