A bear described by local authorities as ‘extremely intelligent’ is on the run in Japan’s northern Hokkaido region after attacking four people, including an elderly woman. The animal, which has evaded capture for weeks, has become a symbol of the growing tension between humans and wildlife in Japan’s depopulated countryside.
The bear first struck in the town of Naie, where it injured a woman in her 70s as she worked in her garden. Since then, it has been spotted several times, each sighting ending with the bear outsmarting traps and hunters. ‘It learns,’ said one official. ‘It avoids our usual methods.’
For residents, the danger is personal. Many here are elderly, their children having moved to cities for work. The bear’s cunning seems to mock their vulnerability. ‘We are scared to step outside after dark,’ said a 68-year-old farmer who asked not to be named. ‘The government says they will catch it, but they have been saying that for weeks.’
The problem is not just one bear. Japan’s bear population is booming. Conservation measures and the abandonment of farmland have created a perfect habitat. But as villages shrink, there are fewer people to manage the landscape. The result is more bears and more dangerous encounters. Last year, there were over 150 bear attacks, a record high.
The bear’s intelligence has made it a minor celebrity online, with some calling it a ‘hero’ against human encroachment. But for those living in its path, there is no romance. ‘It is terrifying,’ said a local shopkeeper. ‘We need our government to do more. Not just for this bear but for the whole problem.’
The hunt continues. Officials have set up feeding stations with cameras and have brought in trained dogs. But the bear remains free, a reminder that in Japan’s forgotten towns, the wild is closing in. For now, the people of Naie lock their doors and watch the woods, hoping that tomorrow the bear will be gone – or that they will be left alone.
