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June 30, 2026
 

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HUNTING

Bears killed 18 people and seriously injured more than 200 in Romania and Slovakia over the past five years.
ENVIRONMENT / Wildlife
Jun 23, 2026
EU nations want reduced protection for bears
Bears killed 18 people and seriously injured more than 200 in the two countries over the past five years.
When bells aren’t enough to prevent encounters with bears, outdoorspeople in Japan now have a wide range of deterrents to choose from.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Jun 6, 2026
In Japan, a bull market for bear deterrents
With no end in sight to the rise in bear encounters, manufacturers are bringing new kinds of deterrents to the market.
The 2026 environment white paper underscores the importance of nurturing fresh hunters with advanced knowledge and skills as existing hunters are getting much older.
JAPAN
Jun 5, 2026
Bears emerge as serious safety threat in Japan, says white paper
The white paper underscores the importance of nurturing fresh hunters with advanced knowledge and skills as existing hunters are getting much older.
The nature guides and conservationists at Picchio Karuizawa focus on nonviolent interventions like collaring and tracking bears to keep the animals away from human settlements and oft-used hiking routes.
ENVIRONMENT / Wildlife
May 9, 2026
Rising bear encounters test Japan’s approach to wildlife management
Government officials and nature guides say more countermeasures can reduce harm caused by rogue bears.
Hunter Haruo Ikegami (left) receives an apology from a Hokkaido police official in the city of Sunagawa on Thursday.
JAPAN / Society
Apr 9, 2026
Hokkaido returns rifle to hunter after court canceled revocation of his license
The hunter had his license revoked on the grounds that he could have damaged nearby structures when he shot a brown bear in 2018 at the request of the Sunagawa city government.
Haruo Ikegami (center) smiles in Tokyo on Friday after the Supreme Court overturned a high court ruling that said it was legal for Hokkaido to revoke his gun license.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Mar 28, 2026
Top court backs Hokkaido hunter who lost gun license after shooting bear
This was the first time for the Supreme Court to rule the revocation of a hunting gun license to be illegal.
A warning sign is displayed in Shirakawa-go, Gifu Prefecture, last November.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Mar 24, 2026
Spring reawakens concerns over bear encounters in Japan
Experts say that a good harvest of bear staple foods such as acorns and nuts could determine whether the number of reported bear sightings ultimately rise or fall.
The red-crowned crane has been removed from the Environment Ministry’s Red List of threatened species.
JAPAN / Society
Mar 17, 2026
Japanese crane no longer considered ‘threatened’ as population recovers
The species saw its population drop to as low as 33 in 1952 due to overhunting, but after conservation efforts about 1,200 are believed to now be living in the wild.
Keiji Minatoya, from Kitaakita, Akita Prefecture, reenacts the time he was attacked by a black bear in 2023. Japan’s recent battle with bears has revealed issues that will continue to present challenges for the Japanese government going forward.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 26, 2025
Japan’s growing bear crisis reveals deeper issues
Currently, there are only around 220,000 licensed hunters in Japan, substantially lower than the 532,265 registered in 1970.
A brown bear gnaws at the cage it is trapped in, in Sunagawa, Hokkaido, in 2024. Small towns can face cost concerns when responding to bear sightings.
JAPAN / Society / FOCUS
Nov 20, 2025
How a small-town spat in Hokkaido nearly derailed its bear response measures
Tensions brewed after a local politician accused hunters of being money-hungry and inefficient, leading to a weekslong halt in bear-culling operations.
As bear attacks spike across northern Japan, the country's community of nature enthusiasts say that while the risk might be high now, enjoying the outdoors is still possible with the proper precautions.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Nov 19, 2025
‘Be bear aware’: Japan’s outdoor pros sound off on ursine risks
Japan’s nature researchers, hunters and trail runners reflect on how a spike in bear activity affects their professions and hobbies.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara (second from left) addresses a ministerial meeting on bear attacks at the Prime Minister's Office on Friday.
JAPAN
Nov 14, 2025
Government launches emergency bear attack prevention plan
Many of the proposed measures focus on increasing personnel and resources for bear management and culling.
Police cars leave the Akita Prefectural Police headquarters to cull bears, in the city of Akita on Thursday.
JAPAN / Explainer
Nov 13, 2025
As attacks surge, who can cull bears in Japan?
In Japan, few people typically own guns, and the process to qualify for a license to hunt the animals takes time and effort.
A box trap is set up in Kazuno, Akita Prefecture, on Nov. 5 to capture bears.
JAPAN
Nov 12, 2025
LDP proposes measures against bear attacks
The measures include employing those with hunting licenses as “government hunters” and procuring electric fences and traps.
Bear attacks have dominated Japanese news headlines in recent months, with 13 people so far having been killed by the animals.
JAPAN / Society / Longform
Nov 9, 2025
Japan’s bears have been on their killing spree for more than 100 years
A surge in bear attacks in Japan may be nothing new, revealing a complex mix of ecology, policy and culture.
A bear seen in a residential area in the city of Akita on Oct. 30. The National Police Agency will allow riot police officers to cull wild bears with rifles amid a series of attacks on people across Japan.
JAPAN / Society
Nov 6, 2025
Japan riot police allowed to cull bears with rifles
Police are set to cull bears in Akita and Iwate, which have seen an increase in attacks on local residents, with operations scheduled to begin on Nov. 13.
A bear was shot dead in the city of Sendai under a revised law allowing city authorities to kill bears in urban areas.
JAPAN
Oct 16, 2025
Bear shot in city of Sendai under revised law
The bear appeared near a residential area in Kagitori, Taihaku Ward, in the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture,
Japan allows municipalities to authorize the shooting of wild bears in residential areas under an amended law aimed at preventing further attacks.
JAPAN
Sep 2, 2025
Shooting bears in residential areas made easier in Japan
Many bear cases have already been reported in various parts of the country so far this fiscal year.
Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance said Thursday that it will sell to local governments a policy to cover property damage caused by bullets fired during wild bear extermination.
JAPAN
Jul 17, 2025
Japan insurer to launch policy linked to bear culling
The move comes as the revised wildlife protection and management law is set to take effect in September.
Following a string of bear attacks that led to human injuries, the Environment Ministry has announced guidelines that list conditions and procedures for allowing the shooting of bears and other wild animals in urban areas.
JAPAN / Society
Jul 8, 2025
Japan releases guidelines on shooting of bears in urban areas
The move follows a string of bear attacks that led to human injuries.
Uruguay federation reportedly cancels charter flight after World Cup exit
Uruguay's Jose Maria Gimenez reacts after the team's loss against Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday.
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
India’s gig workers pay the price for exposure to New Delhi’s hazardous air
Rohit Kushwaha waits for a customer as he delivers his last parcel of the day, in New Delhi in January. His work as a delivery driver has helped pay the family’s bills, but has had a significant impact on his health.
Chinese and Russian bombers and fighter jets stage joint patrol near Japan
A Chinese Air Force H-6 bomber is seen during a joint patrol with Russian military aircraft on Saturday.
U.S. missile moves in Japan send China clear message: A new era has arrived
Soldiers conduct the first Typhon midrange capability live-fire exercise outside of the continental United States, firing an SM-6 missile in July last year in Australia's Northern Territory during Exercise Talisman Sabre.
Japan’s fertility system offers few safe paths for same-sex couples
A Tokyo Pride parade participant holds a sign that says "we want to be a married couple, not a couple."
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
A French ship with close ties to Japan combines arts and sciences on the high seas
Romain Troublé, the executive director of Tara Ocean Foundation, speaks to visitors aboard the Tara during a rare port call in Tokyo in April.
In Kyushu’s far south, Senti.U sparks a culinary destination
Chef Yasuhiko Uchida was born in Saga Prefecture but has made his home in Kanoya, Kagoshima Prefecture, since 2012.
‘The colors speak for themselves’: How Japan’s chroma bible went global
“A Dictionary of Color Combinations” is meant to function as a quick-reference guide for artists, designers and anyone with a passing interest in aesthetics as a quantifiable pursuit.

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