"Japan's Unprecedented Year: Over 200 Bear Attacks Mark a New Record"
Japan has experienced a record number of bear attacks in 2023, with 193 incidents, six of which were fatal—the highest since records began in 2006. The increase in attacks is attributed to a scarcity of food sources like acorns and beech nuts due to a dry summer, and the expansion of bear ranges into areas vacated by a shrinking human population. Biologist Koji Yamazaki is leading efforts to monitor bear health and a government-planned bear census is expected to provide more accurate population numbers. As bears reclaim habitat in Japan, the challenge remains to ensure the safety of both humans and bears.