Japan Tourist Spots Bolster Bear Deterrence as Sightings Continue

Resorts and tourist destinations across Japan are stepping up safety measures against bears as sightings surge nationwide in 2026. The aim is to ensure visitor safety during the peak summer tourist season.

These enhanced precautions include installing fences and deploying devices that emit high-frequency sounds to deter the animals. The urgency is underscored by a fatal bear attack in June, where a man harvesting bamboo shoots in Aomori Prefecture died. Several other injuries caused by bears have also been reported in the region.

In Tateyama, Toyama Prefecture, where a bear attacked a man and a woman in mid-May, the town government installed three high-frequency sound devices on a walkway near Shomyo Falls in mid-June. Hiking trails in the Hakkoda Mountain Range were reopened on August 1 after a month-long closure, with tour operators now requiring participants to carry bear spray or bells and to properly dispose of food waste.

The number of bear sightings has reached unprecedented levels. The Environment Ministry's preliminary figures show 50,801 sightings in fiscal year 2025, the highest since records began in 2009. The first three months of fiscal year 2026 (April-June) already recorded 12,628 sightings, significantly more than the same period in the previous year. This trend necessitates continued caution against bear attacks throughout 2026. Support measures for the tourism industry are also being bolstered, with prefectural governments offering discounts and insurance companies providing coverage for cancellations due to bear-related facility closures.

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We’ve taken safety precautions, so I hope people will feel reassured and come visit