Tag - bears

 
Menu
Search
 
June 30, 2026
 

Today's print edition

Home Delivery
Subscribe for more access

BEARS

Authorities in Aomori Prefecture said on Monday that a man found dead on a mountain that day may have been attacked by a bear.
JAPAN
Jun 30, 2026
Police investigate suspected fatal bear attack in Aomori Prefecture
Authorities said that a man found dead on a mountain may have been attacked by a bear.
A bear warning sign is displayed at the site near where a Spanish visitor was attacked by a cub last October in Shirakawa village, Gifu Prefecture.
JAPAN
Jun 24, 2026
Schools in Tokyo suburb to get bear sprays
Japan saw a record 13 people killed by bears last fiscal year, and five more fatalities and 20 people injured between April 1 and May 30 this year.
Bears killed 18 people and seriously injured more than 200 in Romania and Slovakia over the past five years.
ENVIRONMENT / Wildlife
Jun 23, 2026
EU nations want reduced protection for bears
Bears killed 18 people and seriously injured more than 200 in the two countries over the past five years.
Hikers walk past a bear warning sign in the Okutama area in western Tokyo on Sunday as local authorities urge visitors to take precautions following increased reports of bear sightings in the region.
JAPAN / Society / FOCUS
Jun 16, 2026
Why more bears are entering urban areas
Five deaths have already been reported this year as of the beginning of June, with bears showing a growing willingness to roam closer to where people live.
Last year, the number of bear-related deaths in Japan hit a record high of 13. Bear sightings also set a new record.
JAPAN
Jun 9, 2026
Dayslong bear hunt in Tochigi Prefecture capital ends with animal’s capture
The city of Utsunomiya had been on high alert following reports of a bear sighting near schools and residential areas since the weekend.
When bells aren’t enough to prevent encounters with bears, outdoorspeople in Japan now have a wide range of deterrents to choose from.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Jun 6, 2026
In Japan, a bull market for bear deterrents
With no end in sight to the rise in bear encounters, manufacturers are bringing new kinds of deterrents to the market.
The 2026 environment white paper underscores the importance of nurturing fresh hunters with advanced knowledge and skills as existing hunters are getting much older.
JAPAN
Jun 5, 2026
Bears emerge as serious safety threat in Japan, says white paper
The white paper underscores the importance of nurturing fresh hunters with advanced knowledge and skills as existing hunters are getting much older.
Officials of the Environment Ministry and prefectural governments in northeastern Japan hold a meeting in Sendai on Wednesday to discuss measures to cope with bears. In neighboring Fukushima Prefecture, authorities are on the hunt for an "extremely intelligent" bear that remains at large.
JAPAN
Jun 5, 2026
‘Extremely intelligent’ bear at large after hurting four in Fukushima
The bear apparently unlatched a window while evading capture and turned on a water tap to drink from.
A record 13 people were killed by bears in Japan last year, and there has been a jump in bear sightings as the animals emerge hungry from hibernation.
JAPAN
Jun 2, 2026
Bear goes on rampage in Japan, injuring four people
A record 13 people were killed by bears in Japan last year, and there has been a jump in sightings as the animals emerge hungry from hibernation.
A captured bear in Kuroishi, Aomori Prefecture, earlier this month
JAPAN
May 28, 2026
Bear sightings hamper school activities in Japan
The sightings have led to evacuations, delays and some children opting to stay home as boards of education grapple with how to safely continue classes.
The Environment Ministry aims to gain a better understanding of bear behavior in wide areas, as bears often roam across prefectural borders.
JAPAN
May 20, 2026
Japan to survey bear habitats in Niigata and Tohoku region
The government surveys aim to gain a better understanding of bear behavior in wide areas, as bears often roam across prefectural borders.
The Metropolitan Police Department discovered the lower half of a human body on Tuesday, approximately 100 meters off a hiking trail in Nippara, in the town of Okutama, located on the outskirts of western Tokyo.
JAPAN
May 20, 2026
Possible fatal bear attack reported in mountains of western Tokyo
If confirmed, the incident in the mountains of Okutama would mark Tokyo’s first recorded fatal bear attack since at least 2006.
Monster Wolf, a wolf-like robot, next to a rice field in Kisarazu, Chiba Prefecture, in August 2017.
ENVIRONMENT / Wildlife
May 13, 2026
‘Robot wolves’ in high demand to scare off bears in Japan
Monster Wolf is an animatronic scarecrow with flashing red eyes that howls and growls menacingly to scare away wild animals.
Asian black bear sightings reached an all-time high of 50,776 in fiscal 2025, the environment ministry announced Monday.
JAPAN / Society
May 12, 2026
Black bear sightings in Japan more than doubled in 2025
The total number of deaths caused by bear attacks in fiscal 2025 was 13, the highest in recorded history.
The nature guides and conservationists at Picchio Karuizawa focus on nonviolent interventions like collaring and tracking bears to keep the animals away from human settlements and oft-used hiking routes.
ENVIRONMENT / Wildlife
May 9, 2026
Rising bear encounters test Japan’s approach to wildlife management
Government officials and nature guides say more countermeasures can reduce harm caused by rogue bears.
Japanese authorities confirmed Friday the first fatal bear attack of 2026, in which a 55-year-old woman died on April 21 in Iwate Prefecture, according to media reports.
JAPAN
May 8, 2026
Japan confirms year’s first fatal bear attack
The victim, reportedly a 55-year-old woman, died on April 21 in Iwate Prefecture, an environment ministry official said.
Police seal off a residential area in Sendai on April 19 after a bear was spotted on the grounds of an apartment complex.
JAPAN
May 1, 2026
As bears emerge from hibernation, local governments warn of attacks
Japan’s municipalities are telling residents to take extra precautions this spring, such as refraining from leaving outside their homes any items that could attract bears.
Police seal off the residential area in Sendai where a bear was spotted on Sunday. The bear was culled later in the day.
JAPAN / Society
Apr 20, 2026
Bear culled under emergency system in Sendai
The bear, which was as tall as about 1.5 meters, stayed on the grounds of an apartment in a residential neighborhood of the city’s Aoba Ward for about 10 hours.
Hidetaka Ota, head of Akita University's Advanced Research Center for Geriatric and Gerontology, in the city of Akita on Monday
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 10, 2026
Study to analyze impact of bear sightings on elderly people
In Akita Prefecture, 67 people were attacked by bears, including four fatalities, in the year that ended in March.
Hunter Haruo Ikegami (left) receives an apology from a Hokkaido police official in the city of Sunagawa on Thursday.
JAPAN / Society
Apr 9, 2026
Hokkaido returns rifle to hunter after court canceled revocation of his license
The hunter had his license revoked on the grounds that he could have damaged nearby structures when he shot a brown bear in 2018 at the request of the Sunagawa city government.
Uruguay federation reportedly cancels charter flight after World Cup exit
Uruguay's Jose Maria Gimenez reacts after the team's loss against Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday.
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
India’s gig workers pay the price for exposure to New Delhi’s hazardous air
Rohit Kushwaha waits for a customer as he delivers his last parcel of the day, in New Delhi in January. His work as a delivery driver has helped pay the family’s bills, but has had a significant impact on his health.
Chinese and Russian bombers and fighter jets stage joint patrol near Japan
A Chinese Air Force H-6 bomber is seen during a joint patrol with Russian military aircraft on Saturday.
U.S. missile moves in Japan send China clear message: A new era has arrived
Soldiers conduct the first Typhon midrange capability live-fire exercise outside of the continental United States, firing an SM-6 missile in July last year in Australia's Northern Territory during Exercise Talisman Sabre.
Japan’s fertility system offers few safe paths for same-sex couples
A Tokyo Pride parade participant holds a sign that says "we want to be a married couple, not a couple."
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
A French ship with close ties to Japan combines arts and sciences on the high seas
Romain Troublé, the executive director of Tara Ocean Foundation, speaks to visitors aboard the Tara during a rare port call in Tokyo in April.
In Kyushu’s far south, Senti.U sparks a culinary destination
Chef Yasuhiko Uchida was born in Saga Prefecture but has made his home in Kanoya, Kagoshima Prefecture, since 2012.
‘The colors speak for themselves’: How Japan’s chroma bible went global
“A Dictionary of Color Combinations” is meant to function as a quick-reference guide for artists, designers and anyone with a passing interest in aesthetics as a quantifiable pursuit.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

The Terasaka Rice Terraces are seen with Mount Buko in the background.
What Yokoze can teach Japan about rural revival
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

TDC Global challenges norms at Japan workplaces
TDC Global challenges norms at Japan workplaces

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS note

Read more

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER