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.