[AFP reports](https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/japan-confirms-years-first-fatal-070920626.html?ncid=listnooknewsus) \- Japan confirmed Friday the first fatal bear attack of 2026 after a record 13 deaths last year, with reports pointing to a jump in sightings as the animals emerge hungry from hibernation.
A spate of bear encounters including at hot spring resorts and in supermarkets last year sparked alarm, with the government deploying troops to help trap and hunt the animals.
Record sightings have been reported again this year as the bears emerge from their winter slumber, according to local media.
This year's first confirmed fatality, reportedly a 55-year-old woman, was discovered on April 21 in Iwate prefecture in northern Japan, according to the environment ministry.
Two more sets of human remains were found this week, police told AFP, with media reports drawing a link to bear attacks.
10
Garbage_PlasticMay 8, 2026
+7
Condolences..a long and bumpy road of coexistence..good luck JP.
7
KingAso88May 8, 2026
+3
Heading to Hokkaido next week for a 2 week roadtrip. Hopefully don’t run into any big ass brown bears
3
einimeaMay 8, 2026
+9
I didn't even know Japan has so angry bears...
9
No_Classic_3362May 8, 2026
+9
Japan has the Asian black bear pretty much all over the country and the brown Ussuri bear in Hokkaido, both aren’t considered that aggressive as far as I know.
I think those incidents are a combination of climate change that impacts their food. reduced population mainly in the country side and less youth joins the hunters association, so much less hunters to control their population. Our prefectures hunting association is desperate for more hunters and they advertise a lot.
9
NessieMay 8, 2026
+16
Japan has more bear attacks than any country, and it's held that record for some time now.
16
InfinitedeveloperMay 8, 2026
+7
Yeah, they bred Akitas to fight bears, its a legit problem since so much of the country is near mountains and cities keep developing into bear territory
7
NessieMay 8, 2026
+3
Populated areas are shrinking. The bears are following human depopulation and taking over former agricultural areas. That's one cause of the attacks, rather than human expansion.
If food were scarce over longish periods, we wouldn't see the huge increases in bear populations that we've seen--doubling populations in Hokkaido in the last few decades. So lack of food from climate change is not a sufficient explanation either.
One factor is that bears have been protected for the last few decades after being hunted for the last few *eons*. It's understandable why encounters would be increasing.
3
InfinitedeveloperMay 8, 2026
+1
Yes the population is shrinking and largely condensing in the cities, but that doesnt stop development from happening in some places. Abandoned towns dont expand the bear territory, it will take years for nature to reclaim it, even ignoring that abandoned doesnt mean humans never go back there to maintain roads or other infrastructure that might connect still populated areas.
Its not the only reason, like you said, but it is A reason.
1
NessieMay 8, 2026
+4
> Abandoned towns dont expand the bear territory, it will take years for nature to reclaim it,
When people abandon towns, they abandon the orchards and crops fields. You don't need nature to reclaim it. The easy agricultural pickings attract bears.
4
Vegetable_Friend960May 9, 2026
+1
The asiatic black bear is actually known to be one the most aggressive species and there have been multiple fatal bear attacks in Japan recently (I used to live there- still have lots of friends and family in both Tokyo and the countryside). Some scientists think it may be due to these bears evolutionary history alongside tigers perhaps. Yes, there is also the issue of habitat overlap and competing for food resources but these bears will absolutely see humans as prey unlike many other species of bear.
1
gromolkoMay 9, 2026
+2
Does this mean they only have, like, 4 a year, or does this mean the season for bear attacks starts now?
2
HyperionSwordfishMay 11, 2026
+1
I thought they had two more bear suspects at first.
17 Comments