Why Are Bear Attacks So Frequent? Is 'Rural Depopulation' to Blame? [Sunday Japanese Culture]

Record-High Bear Attacks Cause Widespread Concern
Abandoned Hills Due to Urban Migration
Bear Habitats Effectively Expand
Convenience Stores and Schools on High Alert, Even Considering Closures

Recently, news about bear attacks in Japan has been frequently reported in South Korea as well. Stories continue to emerge, particularly in the Tohoku region, about bears coming down into residential areas and attacking people. As a result, self-defense products for repelling bears are selling rapidly.

In fact, reports of bear-related incidents in Japan are nothing new, but this year the damage has been especially severe, sparking controversy. One of the main causes cited for the increase in bear attacks is the depopulation of rural areas, which has become a major concern among Japanese experts. Today, I would like to share some stories about bears in Japan-stories that are difficult to imagine in South Korea.

Bear Appeared at Camping Site. Shiretoko Foundation.

In Japan, black bears inhabit the largest island, Honshu, as well as the Shikoku region at the southern tip of Honshu. Brown bears are found in Hokkaido. Black bears used to live in the Kyushu region as well, but they are now extinct there. (The now-extinct bear has been replaced by the mascot Kumamon.) The bear population continues to rise, and in the case of brown bears, their numbers have more than doubled over the past 30 years since 1990.

As a result, human casualties have also increased. From January 1 to October 30 of this year, 12 people died from bear attacks across Japan-a record high. Many of these deaths occurred after being scratched or bitten by bears. In particular, bear bites often result in head injuries, which can be fatal. The number of people injured is also the highest ever recorded, and even those who survive often suffer from long-term aftereffects.

Japan is now in a state of emergency. The safety of hikers, in particular, is at risk. It used to be said that carrying bells would scare away bears with their sound, but recently, this method has proven ineffective, leading to the evolution of new items. From whistles to sprays made with chili pepper extract, self-defense products for repelling bears are selling rapidly.

Scratch marks made by a bear on a tree. Sendai City.

Companies that develop bear repellent sprays have attracted media attention. For example, when a company in Tokushima Prefecture succeeded in developing a bear spray, it was interviewed by the Asahi Shimbun. The spray was designed with enhanced spraying power to be effective from a distance of 10 meters, and feedback such as "please add a ring so it won't be lost during hikes" and "make the safety pin easy to remove so the spray can be used quickly" was incorporated into the product. The company even conducted spraying tests at facilities that keep bears and reported successful results. They claimed that bears sprayed with the product were so startled that they ran to a pond to wash their faces.

Regions where bears frequently appear are busy implementing countermeasures. Schools located in areas where bears are often seen have already equipped themselves with sprays to prepare for emergencies. In Akita Prefecture, the situation was so severe that local authorities requested Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi to dispatch the Self-Defense Forces. Soon, the Self-Defense Forces will be deployed to install traps and transport captured bears. Even the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has distributed posters warning, "There are bears in Tokyo too!" to urge public caution.

A bear caution poster distributed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. It warns with the phrase "There are bears in Tokyo too." Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

On October 31, the convenience store franchise Lawson decided to distribute bear repellent sprays to stores located in areas where bears have been sighted. They plan to provide training on how to use the sprays at 100 stores in regions such as Tohoku and Hokkaido. Additionally, they are strengthening various measures to keep bears away, such as reviewing food waste disposal practices. Stores are also switching automatic doors to manual operation to prevent bears from entering and installing devices that emit low-frequency sounds that bears dislike, in an effort to create safer stores. Some stores are even considering shortening business hours or temporarily closing, depending on instructions from local governments.

Why has bear-related damage increased so much? The commonly cited hypothesis is that bears have lost their habitats due to deforestation. However, this explanation is not convincing, as Japan's forest area has remained largely unchanged over the past several decades. Just as fewer people in South Korea are working in forestry, the same trend is seen in Japan.

Various bear repellent products sold on Amazon Japan. Amazon Japan.

Instead, one of the main causes identified for the surge in bear populations is rural depopulation and the concentration of populations in urban areas. As people who once lived in mountain villages and mid-mountain regions move to cities, abandoned farmland gradually turns into wild hills. Previously, the hills behind villages served as a boundary separating bear habitats from human settlements, but as people left and these areas were neglected, wild animals-including bears-have started coming down into these spaces. In short, with fewer people to manage the mountains and fields, the areas where people once lived have transformed into environments more suitable for bear activity.

Bears that come down into these areas often discover discarded food waste and abandoned fruit, learning that there are plenty of tasty, high-calorie foods available. Experts believe that, once bears learn this, they continue to appear in areas inhabited by people, seeking out these food sources.

Japan experienced declining birth rates and rural depopulation earlier than South Korea. This issue has accelerated the unwanted encounters between humans and bears. What scenarios might South Korea face in the future as rural depopulation progresses? It certainly gives us much to think about.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.