Bear awareness is answer to attacks - 20th July 2026

There's been a sharp rise in bears attacking people in Japan. In the previous year, bear attacks resulted in 13 deaths and 238 serious injuries. Between April and June this year, 5 people have been killed.

The most common species of bear in Japan's the Asian black bear. The attacks are a reminder of the importance of bear awareness.

School children in the Tohoku region in northern Japan receive lessons from bear experts twice a year. They bring real bear fur and claws for the children to touch, as well as a real bear's skull.

Asian black bears tend to be found in the mountains. However, the search for food is forcing bears into towns, which is partly due to the effects of climate change.

Tohoku's schools take additional safety precautions when there have been two bear sightings in a short period. Parents are required to drive children to school, and special buses transport them home safely.

The experts give children advice to follow if a bear appears near them, which includes avoiding eye contact and moving away quietly and slowly. However, they should never turn their back to a bear.

Other precautions include wearing bear bells and carrying bear spray. Children are advised to talk loudly to keep them safe on their walk to school.

The school principal, Hiroshi Aruga, is grateful for the experts' help and believes that education will help people and bears to coexist.

Hiroshi Aruga: "Dr Takii well understands the behaviour of wild bears in this area, and she assures they are not aggressive. I am convinced it's safe to live with them as long as humans don't provoke them."