TOKYO: Resorts and tourist spots in Japan are strengthening safety precautions against bears as a flurry of sightings has been reported again across the country in 2026, with the aim to keep visitors safe during the busy summer tourist season.
Among measures being rolled out are building fences and setting up devices that emit high-pitched sounds, which deter bears.
In June, a man who ventured into the Hakkoda Mountain Range in Aomori Prefecture to harvest bamboo shoots died after he was attacked by a bear. A spate of other injuries caused by bears has been reported in the region.
Hiking trails were reopened after being closed for about one month on Aug 1, with hiking tour operators now ensuring participants carry bear spray or bear-repellent bells and do not drop food waste.
In May, a bear injured a man and a woman on a walkway near Shomyo Falls – Japan’s tallest waterfall, with a 350m drop – in the town of Tateyama, Toyama Prefecture. In June, the town government installed three devices that emit high-frequency noises on the walkway to deter further attacks.
Bears attacked and injured many people in Akita Prefecture during the 2025 fiscal year.
Hikage Onsen, a traditional Japanese inn in Odate in the prefecture, has spent at least 1 million yen (S$8,000) on building fences around its outdoor hot springs and passageways to prevent bears from entering the facility.
“We’ve taken safety precautions, so I hope people will feel reassured and come visit,” said a manager of the resort.
According to the Environment Ministry’s preliminary figures, 50,801 bear sightings were reported in Japan during the 2025 fiscal year, the most since such records began in 2009.
Between April and June – the first three months of the 2026 fiscal year – 12,628 sightings were reported, at least 5,000 more than during the same period in 2025. These figures indicate that caution against bear attacks also will be needed in 2026.
Support measures for tourism industry operators have also been boosted. In 2026, the Akita prefectural government started a campaign offering discounts of up to 12,000 yen a person for overnight stays at accommodation facilities in the prefecture.
Tokyo-based Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance is selling insurance that covers losses arising from reservations that are cancelled after a business suspends operations due to a bear entering the premises of accommodation or other facilities. - The Japan News/ANN
