TOKYO, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Bear attacks across Japan left 238 casualties in fiscal 2025, including 13 deaths, according to preliminary data released by the Ministry of the Environment on Tuesday.
Both figures hit record highs, far exceeding the previous records set in fiscal 2023, when 219 people were attacked, and six died.
The ministry also reported more than 50,000 bear sightings nationwide during the period, which ran from April 2025 to March 2026, the highest in five years.
Japanese media previously reported that bears have ventured remarkably closer to residential areas since the summer of 2025, with more than 70 percent of attacks occurring in urban zones or near residential neighborhoods, sparking public concern over safety. ■