Bear Necessities: Japan's Tourism Industry Grapples with the Cost of Coexisting with Wildlife As summer tourist season heats up in Japan, resorts and hot springs are implementing bear deterrence measures to address a surge in sightings across the country.
According to Environment Ministry data, 12,628 bear sightings were reported between April and June this year, an increase of at least 5,000 over the same period last year.
Behind each sighting lies a tale of human error or circumstance – miscalculations by hikers, careless waste management by campers, or simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time.