Bears are encroaching on our living areas. We covered preparations for the increasing number of bear sightings around homes and schools. (May 6, 2026, Aomori Broadcasting) ◇Smartphone app “NTV NEWS NNN”
Today was a perfect day for outings in a wide area including Kanto, but amidst this, bear attacks are a cause for concern. There have been a series of incidents in which people were attacked by bears while gathering wild vegetables, and vigilance continues in various places. What the reporting team witnessed on the “front lines” of the capture was the reality of bears getting caught in traps in unexpected places. (Saturday Station, May 9th broadcast)
■Bear capture captured on camera The Japanese archipelago has suddenly become warmer. While mountain leisure activities are becoming more active, there have been a series of fatal accidents that are suspected to be linked to bears. In Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture on the 5th, the body of an elderly man who had gone missing after entering the mountains to gather wild vegetables was discovered during a search. Also, in Hachimantai City, Iwate Prefecture on the 7th, the body of a woman was found in the mountains. The body had scratches on her face, and it is believed that she was attacked by a bear. Saturday Station headed to Takizawa City, Iwate Prefecture, right next to Hachimantai City. On the morning of the 9th, one bear was captured in a box trap. A bear poked its head out of the box, making a rattling sound. A member of the hunting association said, “It’s a female. A female.” “So it was here after all, the other day.”
In Takizawa City, one bear had been captured in the same location earlier this month, and there had been concerns that there might be other bears around. It was a female, about 1 meter long. The box trap was set up at the entrance to the mountains, about 100 meters from a residential area. Takizawa Hunting Association Chairman Yukifumi Sasaki said, “Until now, you had to go deep into the mountains to find a bear, but now you can find them near houses.” In Takizawa City, 29 members of the hunting association are working to deal with bears that have appeared in urban areas. Takizawa Hunting Association Chairman Yukifumi Sasaki said, “There is still a possibility that they will come out into residential areas, so we would like to capture them somehow and give peace of mind to the local residents.”
■ Possible attack while gathering wild vegetables Many of the incidents that appear to be bear attacks, with bodies being found one after another, have occurred while people are gathering wild vegetables. On the 9th, a man in his 50s who was gathering wild vegetables in Yamagata Prefecture was bitten on the back of the head and face by a bear that appeared from behind, suffering serious injuries including a fractured facial bone.
■The scene of gathering wild vegetables from the perspective of a Matagi What kind of places do you actually go into when gathering wild vegetables? Sho Matsuhashi, the 16th generation Matagi: “By wearing this, you erase the scent of the village and blend in with the mountains, becoming a presence of the mountains. It is a Matagi ritual to prepare to enter the mountains.” Mr. Matsuhashi is carrying on the tradition of the “Matagi,” who specialize in hunting bears. We attached a body camera to cover a wild vegetable gathering tour led by a professional in bear countermeasures. Sho Matsuhashi, the 16th generation Matagi: “When there is a river flowing, the sound of the bear bell is drowned out, so it is better to make a loud noise with a whistle.” Make noise with a whistle to let the bears know of your presence. On the 9th, due to the rainy weather, some parts of the route were changed to travel by car for safety reasons.
16th generation Matagi (traditional Japanese hunter) Sho Matsuhashi: “These are Japanese angelica tree shoots. There are Japanese angelica tree shoots in the foreground.” “This is one of the Matagi hunting grounds. There is a possibility that bears may be sleeping in the cedar forest, so I blow my whistle once.” Looking from Matsuhashi’s perspective, you can see that there are low-growing plants and undulations between the tall trees where bears can hide. 16th generation Matagi Sho Matsuhashi: “I think doing it haphazardly in the moment is the most dangerous thing to do.” “Just because there are no bear sightings doesn’t mean you should go in unarmed.” “I hope people will act with the right knowledge.”
■The threat of bears encroaching on living areas In Akita Prefecture, the threat of bears is encroaching even in areas close to people’s living areas. This photo, taken on the 8th in Daisen City, Akita Prefecture, shows a bear climbing a tree. The location is right next to the parking lot of a shopping center. The video shows a bear running away while police vehicles and others are on alert. The person who filmed the video said, “The bear itself was there for about an hour.” “It was just circling around here the whole time.” The video also shows it going down an embankment right next to a road where cars are passing by. Police vehicles are visible in the photos, suggesting that the scene was tense. The person who filmed the video said, “I was just surprised. I didn’t expect it to come out there. It really feels like the boundaries have disappeared.”
■ “Their ecology is clearly changing” Accidents linked to bears not being afraid of humans have been occurring one after another since April. The year with the highest number of deaths was 2025, with 13 people. There have already been three cases this year in which a connection is suspected. Sho Matsuhashi, the 16th generation Matagi (traditional Japanese hunter), said, “I think the ecology of bears is clearly changing.” “The number of bears near human settlements is increasing, and I feel that the number of bears that are not afraid of humans is definitely increasing to a certain extent.”
Toru Oi, a specially appointed professor at Ishikawa Prefectural University who is knowledgeable about bear ecology, said, “I think a major characteristic of this year is that these incidents are happening in places where bears have not been before.” Will bear sightings increase even further in the future? Professor Toru Oi, a specially appointed professor at Ishikawa Prefectural University and an expert on bear ecology, said, “Regarding beech trees, a survey conducted in early spring reported that they are in full bloom.” “If weather conditions (going forward) are normal, acorns will ripen abundantly.” While he points out that a good harvest of nuts is expected in Tohoku, and therefore bear sightings will not be as frequent as last year, he says that caution is needed in western Japan. Professor Toru Oi, a specially appointed professor at Ishikawa Prefectural University and an expert on bear ecology, said, “A good harvest of acorns does not continue for many years, so there is a possibility of a poor harvest this year. For that reason, caution is necessary.” [TV Asahi NEWS]
