Asiatic black bears have been spotted in succession like this one. (June 2025, Photo provided by Nara Prefecture)
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There has been a series of bear-related incidents causing fatalities in Hokkaido, Iwate, and Nagano. From April to the end of July 2025, the environment ministry reported 55 bear attacks — a figure similar to that of 2023, when the annual total reached a record high.
We spoke with Hifumi Tsuruga, Senior Advisor and Chief Researcher at the Energy, Environment, and Geology Research Institute of the Hokkaido Research Organization. He shared safety precautions and advice on handling bear encounters in their natural habitats, with a focus on brown bears.
On the early morning of July 12 in Fukushima Town, Hokkaido, a male newspaper delivery worker in his 50s was attacked and killed by a brown bear. DNA tests later revealed that the bear culled by hunters on July 18 had also attacked a 77-year-old woman in July 2021.
Bear attacks are not limited to brown bears in Hokkaido. Asiatic black bears on Honshu, Japan's main island, have also attacked people — some fatally.
Excerpts of the interview follow.
What is the reason for the repeated incidents of bear attacks?
In Hokkaido during the 1960s, a spring bear culling program was implemented to prevent harm to people and livestock. Bears were actively hunted during the late snow season, when they were easier to track. As a result, the bear population declined significantly, and their range shrank.
However, in the 1990s, following international trends in biodiversity conservation and nature protection, the program was abolished.
Bears are still hunted today, but the hunting season has been moved from spring to summer and autumn, making it less effective. Before the program ended, roughly equal numbers of males and females were caught. Afterward, more young males — who roam larger areas and cause more crop damage — were captured. Fewer females, which have a bigger impact on the population's growth, were taken.
Because of this, bear numbers roughly doubled, and incidents involving humans increased. Asiatic black bears in Honshu have an even higher population density than brown bears, which makes such incidents more frequent there.
Moreover, as humans stopped pursuing bears into the mountains, the bears became less wary of people.
One of the most notorious bear incidents was the Sankebetsu brown bear attack in 1915 in Hokkaido, where a bear entered homes twice, killing seven people and injuring three. Is it true that bears that have eaten humans are likely to attack humans again?
Bears sometimes exhibit behaviors like dragging prey away to hide it, not eating it immediately, and returning later. Some attacks happen by chance — such as when a young bear, lacking caution or acting out of curiosity, approaches. When a person runs away, the bear may perceive them as prey and attack.
The bear that attacked a person in Fukushima Town on July 12 had attacked another person four years earlier. However, it is difficult to say whether it had recognized humans as prey due to its previous experience or whether it was simply a chance encounter.
Bear bells are thought to alert bears to a human's presence, potentially preventing surprise encounters that could lead to defensive attacks. But could bear bells carried as deterrents actually provoke bear attacks?
Bears are quick learners and sometimes associate humans with food because they have eaten food that people were carrying. Perhaps because of this, there have been cases of bears approaching even when bells were ringing.
Are bear bells, radios, and bear spray effective when entering bear-inhabited mountains?
If bells or radios are making constant noise, it becomes hard for you to hear other surrounding sounds. For experienced hikers, it's recommended to use bells with stoppers so you can ring them only where visibility is poor, such as around curves, rather than continuously. Whistles are also effective.
Is it because bears are no longer afraid of humans that they appear in urban areas?
If a bear is highly wary of humans, it will avoid approaching. Bears seen in urban areas tend to be somewhat accustomed to people. The conventional wisdom that bears always fear humans no longer holds true.
What should you do if you encounter a bear?
If the bear has not noticed you, quietly and slowly leave the area. Do not run, as you may fall. Brown bears can run 50–60 km/h and have claws like spikes — you cannot outrun them.
If the bear has noticed you, avoid direct eye contact, as it can be perceived as a threat. Instead, focus your gaze on the bear's chest and slowly back away. The bear's "tolerance distance" varies, but prepare bear spray if it comes within about 20 meters.
If it approaches, do not lie flat to play dead. Instead, curl your body and cover the back of your neck with your hands in a defensive posture.
If the bear attacks anyway, pick up stones or branches and shout to intimidate it. However, if the bear is stationary, doing this can be counterproductive.
Most fatal incidents occur when people are alone. If you are in a group, stay together.
Have you ever had a close bear encounter?
I have encountered a bear at about 20 meters. It left while I was preparing bear spray. On another occasion, I had a trained dog that chased the bear away.
So are dogs effective?
Only trained dogs are effective. Many attacks occur when people walk ordinary dogs, as dogs can excite bears. The key is to avoid encounters with bears altogether.
Do you have any advice for tourists visiting Japan's mountains and forests, such as Shiretoko National Park in Hokkaido, where bears may be present?
Please gather information about bear activity before visiting. Tourist spots often provide multilingual updates. Some areas may be closed due to bear sightings.
Bears in Shiretoko National Park do not flee from humans because they are not hunted. Some tourists even feed bears to take photos. Even if those tourists happen to leave unharmed, this behavior encourages bears to attack others. Rules should be strictly followed.
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- How to Reduce Bear Attacks? First, Know the Numbers
- Reintroducing Wolves: A New Hope for Japanese Ecosystems
Author: Mika Sugiura
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