Japan culls 14,000 bears after record
Japan killed over 14,000 bears in a ten-month cull following a record year of fatal attacks, but conservationists warn the strategy is failing and risks
Japan culled more than 14,000 bears from April 2025 through January 2026 after a surge in deadly conflicts. The government action followed a record year with 13 people killed and over 230 attacked in 2025.
This heavy-handed response has raised profound concerns among conservationists. The Japan Bear and Forest Society (Kumamori) warns that regional extinctions of the Asiatic black bear are a real possibility if such trapping continues. The society's chair, Yuko Muroya, says the government's strategy is not working.
The scale of the cull
The cull targeted two bear species present in Japan. Government data shows the breakdown of the 14,000 animals killed.
| Species | Number Culled |
|---|---|
| Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) | About 12,000 |
| Brown bear (Ursus arctos) | About 2,000 |
This level of killing is unprecedented in the modern era. Most other nations with significant bear populations permit far lower harvest rates. For instance, Canada, Russia, and the United States typically allow the legal hunt of less than 10% of their bear populations. Only Sweden and Slovenia have recently sanctioned culls approaching 20% of their brown bear numbers.
Why attacks are increasing
Record-breaking heat in northern prefectures like Akita and Iwate stunted the growth of beech nuts and acorns last year. These foods are critical for bears to fatten up for hibernation. With their natural food sources diminished, bears descended into villages in search of sustenance.
Human demographics have exacerbated the problem. Rural depopulation has left orchards and woodlands abandoned, creating easy foraging grounds. At the same time, the number of licensed hunters in Japan has fallen by more than half since 1975. The national government cites this lack of skilled hunters as central to the rise in conflicts.
Faced with the crisis, officials relaxed rules for shooting bears in populated areas and laid traps nationwide.
A strategy failing on the ground
Despite the massive cull, conflicts have not ceased. Since April, government statistics report six more people killed and over 35 attacked across at least nine prefectures. One Japanese city suspended nearly 100 schools in June after a bear was spotted nearby.
The government has announced a target to cull another 8,800 bears this fiscal year. Muroya of Kumamori argues a strategy focused solely on reducing numbers will not solve the problem until the bears themselves are driven to extinction.
Biologist Dave Garshelis, co-chair of the IUCN's bear specialist group, calls Japan's reaction a big one. He says the government likely felt compelled to get rid of the bears suddenly, with no other alternative.
Population uncertainty and global status
The true number of bears in Japan is a matter of significant debate, complicating the crisis. Japan is considered one of the last strongholds for the Asiatic black bear, with an official estimate of 42,000. Scientists believe that figure is likely an undercount, but no comprehensive new study has been conducted since a 2011 survey suggested a range of 13,000 to 21,000.
Globally, the Asiatic black bear is listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with fewer than 60,000 remaining worldwide. A 2024 study found the species' range has contracted by roughly half compared to historical records.
However, some experts argue the global status should not dictate Japan's management. Ecologist Shinsuike Koike, who leads the Japan Bear Network, says animal welfare groups' claims about endangerment are from a global perspective and should not be brought into Japan's bear issue. Garshelis agrees, noting that if people in Japan are being mauled, the country's responsibility to the species as a whole in other nations is limited.
Koike's own research in central Japan suggests local bear populations can grow rapidly, between 11% and 12% annually under the right conditions. He calculates that killing 15% of bears each year would keep a population stable. The hazard, Garshelis warns, is if authorities think they are cutting numbers by a quarter but actually halve them due to inaccurate estimates.
In the resort town of Karuizawa, a different model exists. The Picchio Wildlife Research Centre has worked since the 1990s to improve coexistence, using trained dogs to chase bears away and tranquilising and relocating problem animals. Its leader, Hiroo Tamatani, says bear sightings are up about 20% this year, largely due to heightened public awareness after the national news coverage, not an increase in actual damage incidents.
