Kitami, Hokkaido – A rise in bear encounters across Japan is forcing officials to confront a difficult question: how to manage wildlife in a country where people and predators increasingly share the same space.

With bears emerging from hibernation and fatal attacks already reported this year, governments at every level are reassessing how to prevent the next incident.

In northeastern Hokkaido, a hiker was attacked and killed by a brown bear last August in Shiretoko National Park while descending from the summit of Mount Rausu. The incident marked the first fatality since the park was granted UNESCO World Heritage Status in 2005. Trails on the peninsula were closed for the remainder of the season and are expected to reopen this summer.

The Rausu incident involved an Ezo brown bear, a subspecies related to the larger and more widely known grizzly. On Honshu, the Asian black bear is more frequently involved in human encounters.

Across the Shiretoko Peninsula in northeastern Hokkaido, tracking and monitoring bear activity is the first step in figuring out how best to deal with problematic animals. | JUSTIN RANDALL

On April 21, the Environment Ministry confirmed the year’s first fatal bear attack in Shiwa, Iwate Prefecture.

Managing the risk is complicated by how Japan’s protected areas are structured.. Most of the country’s 35 national parks and 57 quasi-national parks are composed of a mix of public and private land. Unlike park systems in countries such as the United States and Australia, Japan’s parks permit human habitation and economic activity with a tiered system of zoning to protect the natural landscape.

Japan has a national legal framework for wildlife management, but implementation can be decentralized. Policy is established under the Wildlife Protection and Hunting Management Law, with prefectures responsible for drafting management plans and municipalities carrying them out. Local governments may also commission private organizations to assist.

“When agricultural damage or human injury occurs at the local level, municipalities are the first to respond,” says Takahiro Okano, director of the Kushiro Natural Environment Office, a regional branch of the Environment Ministry. “Since shortages of skilled personnel are a nationwide issue, the national government supports municipalities through grants, including programs such as the training of government hunters. Municipalities can also use these resources to support local foundations and organizations.”

With incidents like the spate of bear attacks last year, however, all sides of the governmental apparatus can become involved.

The expansion of permanent settlements into Karuizawa's formerly entirely rural stretches has increased the likelihood of human's encounters with bears. | PICCHIO KARUIZAWA

“In cases involving issues that cross prefectural boundaries or matters related to rare wildlife species, the national government also participates directly in addressing the situation,” Okano adds.

The Shiretoko Nature Foundation is one such partner, receiving public funding to support visitor services in Shiretoko National Park. It is also commissioned by the towns of Rausu and Shari to carry out bear countermeasure projects, including noise-based deterrents — such as the firing of rubber bullets and fireworks — identifying repeat attackers and, when necessary, culling bears that have become habituated to human food or have learned to stalk hikers.

“Bear management in Shiretoko is closely related to the management of the World Natural Heritage site and the management of the national park,” says Teruhiro Kanagawa, a senior manager at the foundation. “The focus is shifting from managing the bears themselves to managing users through information dissemination, awareness and park usage mechanisms.”

Despite its relatively small size, Shiretoko National Park supports one of the highest densities of brown bears in the world, with an estimated 400 to 500 animals. Measures such as electric fences and bear-resistant waste systems are used to deter animals from entering populated areas.

Officials advise visitors to remain in their vehicles if a bear is spotted and to avoid taking pictures. Much of the park is inaccessible without a licensed guide, and in the popular Shiretoko Five Lakes area, visitors must watch a safety video before entering.

Picchio staff go out on patrols with Karelian bear dogs, whose barks deter bears from roaming too far into areas frequented by humans. | PICCHIO KARUIZAWA

Amid a growing bear population, the Shiretoko Master Plan — formulated by a coalition of agencies, including the Environment Ministry — has warmed up to the possibility of restricting private vehicles from the park entirely.

Shiretoko’s remoteness contrasts with Karuizawa, a resort town about an hour northwest of Tokyo by shinkansen. Picchio, a wildlife research organization based there, promotes what it describes as coexistence with the region’s Asian black bears.

“(Picchio employs methods of) habitat management, such as brush clearing; damage prevention, like garbage boxes and electric fencing; and individual bear management,” says Hiro Tamatani, the leader of Picchio’s bear management team. “They capture bears whose behavior makes coexistence difficult, particularly those requiring behavioral correction.”

Captured bears are fitted with transmitter collars and released to monitor animals that have become food-conditioned or habituated to humans. For those that continue to pose risks, Picchio deploys trained Karelian bear dogs to deter them from entering populated areas. The dogs accompany patrols and bark when they detect nearby bears, driving them away.

“This serves as an alternative to purely reactive capture,” Tamatani says. “The bear dog program is based on methods developed in North America but has been customized for Japan, where human-bear proximity is closer.”

As Karuizawa sees increased residential development and visitor traffic, Picchio also conducts guided tours aimed at public education.

“Guided tours conducted under established rules by guides who understand animal ecology are also important for ensuring visitor safety and preventing changes in wildlife behavior,” says Picchio spokesperson Koyomi Ichise.

Last year, 238 bear-related incidents nationwide resulted in 13 fatalities. As encounters become more common, officials say reducing those numbers will depend not only on managing bears, but on how people move through the landscapes they share.

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