Rising Bear Encounters Prompt Review of Japan Wildlife Management

A rise in bear encounters across Japan is leading officials to review wildlife management practices in areas where human activity and bear habitats overlap. Bears are emerging from hibernation and two fatal attacks have already been reported this year.

In northeastern Hokkaido, a hiker was killed by an Ezo brown bear last August in Shiretoko National Park while descending Mount Rausu. The incident was the first fatality in the park since it received UNESCO World Heritage status in 2005. Trails on the peninsula were closed for the remainder of that season and are scheduled to reopen this summer.

On April 21, the Environment Ministry confirmed a fatal attack by an Asian black bear in Shiwa, Iwate Prefecture.

35 national parks and 57 quasi-national parks include a mix of public and private land that permits human habitation and economic activity under zoned protections. Wildlife management follows the national Wildlife Protection and Hunting Management Law, but prefectures draft plans and municipalities carry them out.

Local governments may commission private organizations for assistance. “When agricultural damage or human injury occurs at the local level, municipalities are the first to respond,” said Takahiro Okano, director of the Kushiro Natural Environment Office.

” In cases that cross prefectural boundaries or involve rare species, the national government participates directly. The Shiretoko Nature Foundation receives public funding and carries out bear countermeasures for the towns of Rausu and Shari. These include noise deterrents such as rubber bullets and fireworks, identification of repeat offenders, and culling of bears that have become habituated to human food or learned to stalk hikers.

Park supports an estimated 400 to 500 brown bears, among the highest densities in the world. Officials use electric fences, bear-resistant waste systems, and visitor rules that include remaining in vehicles if a bear is seen and watching safety videos before entering areas such as the Shiretoko Five Lakes.

Much of the park requires a licensed guide. The Shiretoko Master Plan, developed by a coalition of agencies including the Environment Ministry, has considered restricting private vehicles in parts of the park. The foundation’s focus has shifted toward managing visitors through information, awareness and park usage rules.

Staff conduct habitat management, install damage-prevention measures such as electric fencing and garbage boxes, and capture bears for behavioral correction. Captured bears are fitted with transmitter collars and released for monitoring. Picchio also deploys Karelian bear dogs on patrols; the dogs’ barks drive bears away from populated areas.

“Guided tours conducted under established rules by guides who understand animal ecology are also important for ensuring visitor safety and preventing changes in wildlife behavior,” said Picchio spokesperson Koyomi Ichise. Last year, 238 bear-related incidents nationwide resulted in 13 fatalities.

Officials state that further reductions will require both bear management and changes in how people move through shared landscapes.