Japan Ministry Sounds Alarm Over Hungry Bears in Spring; May Attack People After Coming Out of Hibernation
20:49 JST, April 11, 2024
The Environment Ministry is warning that hungry bears may return to human communities in the spring after hibernating and attack people.
At a meeting of related ministries and agencies on Thursday, the Environment Ministry said it would send a notice to prefectural offices as early as this month, alerting them against bears coming out of their winter sleep. The meeting was held in response to the record number of human casualties from bear attacks last fiscal year.
According to a report presented at the meeting, six people were killed by bears nationwide. Including the injured, the total number of victims was 219, with about 70% of them attacked in the Tohoku region.
Bear sightings are believed to have increased last fiscal year due to a poor crop of beech nuts, which serve as food for them.
"Society" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
M6.0 Earthquake Hits Japan’s Tohoku Region; Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi Prefectures Observe 4 on Japanese Scale With No Risk of Tsunami
-
Shinkansen Services Suspended After Man ‘Searches for Phone’ on Tracks; Disruption Affects About 14,000 Passengers
-
U.S. 7th Fleet officer Arrested on Suspicion of Stealing Sushi, Sashimi, Chicken at Kanagawa Shopping Mall; Suspect Caught Mid-Meal
-
Tsunami Advisory for Okinawa Lifted at Noon (UPDATE 2)
-
JAL Airplane Experiences Radio Malfunction During Flight, Lands Safely By Relying on Light Signals
JN ACCESS RANKING
- M6.0 Earthquake Hits Japan’s Tohoku Region; Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi Prefectures Observe 4 on Japanese Scale With No Risk of Tsunami
- China Mutes Memorialization of Reformer Hu Yaobang; Memories Could Spark Critique of Xi Administration
- Shinkansen Services Suspended After Man ‘Searches for Phone’ on Tracks; Disruption Affects About 14,000 Passengers
- U.S. 7th Fleet officer Arrested on Suspicion of Stealing Sushi, Sashimi, Chicken at Kanagawa Shopping Mall; Suspect Caught Mid-Meal
- UNRWA Director Describes Catastrophic Destruction in Gaza; Says Relief Trucks Robbed, ‘People’s Hearts Destroyed’