Record bear sightings in Japan cause alarm as hibernation ends

A bear warning sign at Senshu Park in Akita, Akita prefecture, north-eastern Japan. In the 12 months from April last year, Japan saw a record 238 bear attacks, including 13 deaths. Photograph: Franck Robichon/EPA

Rested but famished bears emerging from hibernation in Japan are already coming into contact with humans, with the pace of sightings outstripping that seen in 2025, a record year for bear attacks.

According to media reports, the animals have been spotted with surprising frequency in urban areas in the country’s north-east, with authorities urging caution among people planning to spend the coming Golden Week public holidays in the countryside.