A record 12 people have been killed by bears this fiscal year, with 108 attacks as of late September, casting a pall over Japan's autumn outdoor activities. The Environment Ministry reports 20,792 bear sightings as of Friday, leading to widespread event cancellations. Hikers are increasingly anxious.
A record surge in bear sightings and attacks is overshadowing Japan's fall season and its outdoor pursuits, leading to event cancellations nationwide and heightened anxiety among hikers.
According to the Environment Ministry, there have been 20,792 bear sightings across Japan as of Friday, surpassing 20,000 for the first time in the first half of a fiscal year since records began in 2009. The vast majority occurred in the northern Tohoku region, though a handful were reported in Tokyo and Osaka. No bears inhabit Kyushu or Okinawa Prefecture, and sightings in Shikoku are exceptionally rare.
This fiscal year, 12 people have been killed by bears, and 108 attacked as of the end of September—both the highest figures on record. The increase is disrupting popular autumn activities like leaf-peering and hiking, with implications for tourism in affected areas. Ministry figures underscore the risks during the bears' active fall period.