Key Facts
• 2025 bear-related deaths in Japan reach record high of 9.
• October 21: Three bears spotted near a kindergarten bus in Urakawa, Hokkaido.
• October 22: Elderly couple attacked by a bear in Aizumisato, Fukushima.
• October 22: 1-meter bear captured in Kitaakita, Akita, after entering a home’s basement.
• October 16: Onsen worker Katsumi Sasazaki, 60, killed by a bear in Kitakami, Iwate.
• Government urges vigilance and highlights local bear management efforts.
• Toyama’s Tateyama conducts emergency hunting drills for urban bear incidents.
Summary
Bear attacks across Japan have surged in 2025, with a record nine fatalities reported. Incidents include a bear sighting near a kindergarten bus in Hokkaido, an elderly couple injured in Fukushima, and a bear captured in Akita. In Iwate, an onsen worker was fatally attacked while working. The government has called for heightened vigilance and is supporting local measures, such as emergency hunting drills in Toyama, to address the growing threat.
