Why bear attacks are rising fast in Japan
Key takeaways
- Experts say bears are less afraid of humans as hunter numbers fall, pushing them beyond their traditional habitats in search of food.
- Like many residents of rural parts of Japan, he believes the uptrend in recent years in encounters between humans and bears is going to continue, perhaps with deadly consequences.
- "I guess I've encountered bears around 100 times in the mountains and been charged around 15 times," said Kingston, an American academic who likes to escape Tokyo on the weekend for his cabin in rural Gunma Prefecture.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Experts say bears are less afraid of humans as hunter numbers fall, pushing them beyond their traditional habitats in search of food.
https://p.dw.com/p/5FGz PThere has been a jump in bear sightings across Japan as the animals emerge hungry from hibernation Image: Kyodo News/IMAGOAdvertisement Jeff Kingston credits his dogs with saving his life when he was attacked by a bear on a mountain track in central Japan, although the scars left by the creature's claws will always remain on his forehead, arms and shoulders.
Like many residents of rural parts of Japan, he believes the uptrend in recent years in encounters between humans and bears is going to continue, perhaps with deadly consequences.