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Environment & Climate

Japan culled over 14,000 bears following record fatal attacks

Authorities relaxed shooting rules amid surging encounters, but conservationists warn of ecological risks while attacks continue.

Updated Aug 27, 2026 · 04:17 UTC1 reports

The short version

  • Japan culled more than 14,000 bears between April 2025 and January 2026 after record-high encounters killed 13 people and injured over 230 last year.
  • The government eased rules on shooting bears in populated areas due to a declining number of licensed hunters, and targets culling another 8,800 bears this fiscal year.
  • Conservationists warn the heavy culling risks regional extinctions of vulnerable Asiatic black bears, particularly since national population estimates remain uncertain.
  • Despite the cull, attacks have persisted this season, leaving six people dead and over 35 injured across at least nine prefectures.

Key facts

  • Between April 2025 and January 2026, Japan culled more than 14,000 bears, comprising roughly 12,000 Asiatic black bears and 2,000 brown bears.[The Guardian]
  • Bear encounters in Japan reached record levels last year, resulting in 13 deaths and more than 230 injuries.[The Guardian]
  • The Japanese government relaxed regulations for shooting bears in populated areas because the number of licensed hunters has dropped by more than half since 1975.[The Guardian]
  • Officials have set a target to cull an additional 8,800 bears during the current fiscal year.[The Guardian]
  • Since April, bear attacks have killed six people and injured more than 35 across at least nine prefectures.[The Guardian]
  • Environmental factors driving bears into populated regions include climate-linked drops in forest foods like acorns and beech nuts, alongside abandoned rural farmland.[The Guardian]
  • Japan's Ministry of Environment launched a new nationwide bear survey this year, which is expected to take three years to complete.[The Guardian]

What remains uncertain

  • The precise size of Japan's bear population is uncertain; the official estimate of 42,000 lacks recent nationwide survey validation.[The Guardian]
  • Experts disagree on whether large-scale culling will reduce long-term human-bear conflicts or instead drive regional populations toward extinction.[The Guardian]

Sources