Japan Sets Record For Bear-Inflicted Injuries

The number of injuries in Japan caused by bear encounters has surged at a record pace during this fiscal year.

In recent years, higher bear-inflicted injuries were reported during periods of poor beech crop yields, including fiscal years 2019 and 2020.

Concerns are mounting that these animals may increasingly venture into human settlements due to an anticipated poor Japanese beech nut crop in the country's northeastern region, Mainichi Shimbun reported.

According to the Ministry of the Environment, there were 54 cases of injuries inflicted by bears nationwide as of the end of July.

This marks the highest number for the same period since fiscal 2007 when the current counting method was introduced.

On September 5, the ministry convened a meeting involving relevant ministries and agencies to report on the damage incurred during this fiscal year. By prefecture, there were 15 reported cases of human injuries in Iwate, nine in Akita, and seven in Fukushima, all located in Japan's northeast Tohoku region.

While the highest number of cases for an entire fiscal year was 145 in 2010, this fiscal year appears to be on course to surpass that figure. The ministry is preparing to issue a notice urging prefectural governments to exercise caution.

According to sources, including the Tohoku Regional Forest Office, a very poor crop of Japanese beech nuts, a favored food source for bears, is predicted this fall across all six prefectures of the Tohoku region.

In recent years, higher bear-inflicted injuries were reported during periods of poor beech crop yields, including fiscal years 2019 and 2020.

WEEKLY FEATURE : Jose Mari Chan And The Christmas Anthem