Fatal Bear Attacks Are Rising at an Alarming Rate in Japan, 7 Deaths Recorded This Year By Rachel Raposas

Bear attacks are on the rise in Japan.

Since April 2025, there have been seven fatal bear attacks in Japan — a record high for the country, Japan’s environment ministry said. per BBC and NBC. Most fatalities have occurred in the northeastern region of Japan, plus the northern prefecture of the island of Hokkaido.

Japan’s current bear attack count does not include a suspected incident involving a 60-year old man, a hot spring employee in Iwate Prefecture, who went missing on Oct. 16 while cleaning a bath outside, per NBC. Officials found human blood and suspected bear fur at the scene.

The seventh bear-related death recorded in Japan this year was a man, estimated to be in his 70s, who was reportedly picking mushrooms at the time of the fatal incident. The man’s body was found in the same area in Iwate Prefecture, and the death was deemed to be the result of a bear attack, per BBC,

After the hot springs worker went missing, hunters in a search and rescue party fatally shot a bear in the search radius. A body was also found nearby, though it has yet to be identified.

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In addition to the seven recorded deaths, roughly 100 people have experienced bear attack-related injuries since April (the start of the Japanese government calendar), NBC reported. This is a marked increase compared to the year prior, which saw an estimated 80 injuries.

Keiichrio Asao, Japan’s environment minister, said on Oct. 17 that bears interacting with humans — including the animals entering buildings — has become more common, signaling the wild animals are more comfortable around humans

Two types of bears are native to Japan. The Asiatic black bear, the more common type, can be distinguished by its crescent-moon, cream-colored splotch on its upper chest, and by its voluminous mane surrounding its face, according to the International Association for Bear Research and Management. The species measures around 4 to 6 feet, can weigh up to 440 pounds, and live around 25 years.

The other bear species in Japan is the , which only resides on Japan’s northernmost islands and is believed to be a subspecies of the Ussuri brown bear, per Bear Conservation. These bears can weigh up to 1,300 pounds. Hokkado island is home to one of the most dense populations of brown bears, per a study by Hokkaido University.

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NBC reported that a population shift towards urban areas, plus a growing bear population, could have resulted in an increase in humand and bear interactions. Additionally, climate change has altered the bears’ normal hunting and hibernation patterns, which is another possible cause for the increase in attacks.