Japanese Bear Expert Sounds Alarm Over Increase in Attacks, Calls for Population Control

Overview

Bear attacks in Japan are increasing, prompting calls for stronger population control measures. Ohnishi Naoki, a research team leader at the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute’s Tōhoku Research Center, advocates for training and employing hunters as part of the response. He focuses on the genetic evolution of the Asian black bear and other wild mammals, and regularly comments to the media about bear sightings.

Key figures and roles

Ohnishi Naoki — Research team leader, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Tōhoku Research Center.
Background — Joined the institute after graduate studies in agriculture at Hokkaidō University.
Research focus — Genetic evolution of the Asian black bear and other wild mammals.

Current situation

A surge in bear sightings and attacks has unsettled Japan, with the Tōhoku region most affected. Ohnishi characterizes the situation as disaster-level and urges urgent action.

“Previously, humans mostly encountered bears in satoyama areas [spaces where people and nature coexist]. Now, these encounters are breaching into suburban residential areas and even downtown areas of prefectural capitals.”

The trend first appeared in 2023, and in the current year bears are entering more deeply into human living spaces.

Examples of bear sightings

Morioka — Bears spotted in the Bank of Iwate headquarters parking lot and on the grounds of Iwate University.
Akita Prefecture — Bear sightings reported near supermarkets and high schools.

Author’s summary

Rising bear encounters in Japan, especially in Tōhoku, prompt calls for stronger population management and proactive measures to reduce human-bear conflicts.

nippon.com — 2025-11-20

Overview

Key figures and roles

Current situation

Examples of bear sightings

Author’s summary

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