rural depopulation
Record Bear Attacks in Japan: Climate Change, Population Growth, and Rural Challenges Converge
Nov 12, 2025 05:27 pm CST
Japan faces unprecedented bear attacks with 13 fatalities since April, as expanding bear populations and poor acorn harvests drive hungry animals into human settlements. Despite military deployment and increased culling efforts, the crisis highlights the complex intersection of wildlife management, climate change, and rural depopulation in modern Japan.
Japan's Political Crossroads: Why the Liberal Democratic Party's Decades-Long Dominance is Crumbling
Oct 02, 2025 02:59 pm CST
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party faces an existential crisis ahead of its October 4 leadership election as rural support erodes, economic challenges mount, and populist rivals gain ground. With the party now operating as a minority government for the first time in decades, the next leader must navigate political fragmentation while addressing voter frustrations over rising costs, agricultural policy, and immigration—potentially reshaping Japan's domestic and international trajectory.