Japan's Emergency Measures for Rising Bear Attacks

Japan's government has created emergency measures to address record numbers of bear attacks. The Ministry of Environment reported that 13 people have been killed, and more than 100 have been injured by bears since April. The death toll is the highest since records began in 2006. Wildlife management experts have devised a plan to reduce the increasing numbers of fatalities, injuries, and encounters with bears. Part of this plan is to reduce bear populations in areas where the animals have been sighted. Another feature is the establishment of region-specific capture targets. Authorities will also set up a buffer zone in many areas to try to separate bear habitats from human residential areas.

There are two species of bear in Japan and their numbers have surged in the past decade. Estimates suggest the Asian black bear population has roughly tripled since 2012 — rising from about 15,000 to around 44,000. The larger and more dangerous Ussuri brown bears, native to the northern island of Hokkaido, have doubled in number. There are several reasons for the growth in bear populations. One is the shortage of beech nuts, which scientists attribute to climate change. Another reason is a declining number of licensed hunters, who were largely responsible for bear culls. Finally, a depopulation of rural areas means bears are venturing into towns and villages.