The Wild with Chris Morgan Japan's bear attacks: we unravel what's going on
Dec 16, 2025
Javier C. Hernández, Tokyo bureau chief for The New York Times, and Masahiro (Masa) Onishi, a principal research scientist at Japan's Wildlife Management Office, dive into Japan's alarming rise in bear attacks. They discuss how climate change and demographic shifts have intensified encounters with bears. Javier reveals community fears and government responses, while Masa offers insights on bear behavior and conservation efforts. They highlight the need for public education and effective management strategies, emphasizing a delicate balance between coexisting with wildlife and ensuring public safety.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Food Shortages Drive Bears Into Towns
- Climate change and beech-nut shortages pushed bears toward towns seeking food.
- Japan's aging rural population and fewer hunters left more space for bears to expand into human areas.
Media Turns A Slow Trend Into A Crisis
- Media attention amplified a slow-moving problem into a national crisis this year.
- Apps and daily trackers made bear incidents omnipresent and heightened public fear.
Military Presence Is Mostly Reassurance
- The military's role is largely supportive to reassure the public, not to use weapons directly.
- Constitutional limits restrict the Self-Defense Forces from engaging animals with weapons.