Home / Environment / Bear Attacks Reach Record High in Japan, Killing 7 This Year
Bear Attacks Reach Record High in Japan, Killing 7 This Year
16 Oct
Summary
- 7 people killed by bears in Japan this year, highest since 2006
- Attacks surge in autumn before bears hibernate
- Climate change and depopulation cited as factors
As of October 16th, 2025, Japan has experienced a record-breaking number of deadly bear attacks this year, with 7 people killed since April. This figure surpasses the previous high of 5 fatalities recorded in the 12 months leading up to April 2024.
Experts attribute the surge in bear attacks to a combination of factors. Firstly, the yields of beech nuts, a crucial food source for bears, have been low due to the effects of climate change. This has driven the hungry animals to venture into residential areas in search of sustenance. Additionally, the country's ongoing depopulation has been cited as a contributing factor, with fewer people living in rural areas to deter the bears.
The attacks typically spike in autumn, just before the bears enter hibernation. In the latest incident, a 60-year-old man cleaning an outdoor hot spring bath has gone missing, suspected to be the latest victim of a bear attack. Investigators have found human blood and bear fur at the scene of the attack in the city of Kitakami, Iwate prefecture.
Other recent incidents include a bear entering a supermarket in Numata, Gunma, north of Tokyo, lightly injuring two men, and a farmer in the Iwate region being scratched and bitten by a bear accompanied by a cub outside his house. A Spanish tourist was also attacked by a bear at a bus stop in the village of Shirakawa-go in central Japan.
The environmental ministry's figures show that in addition to the 7 fatalities, around 100 other people have been injured so far this year, a significant increase from the 85 injuries and 3 fatalities recorded in the previous 12 months.
