Japan expands wildlife damage countermeasures and reporting tools

In response to rising wildlife damage and human casualties, Japanese authorities and private entities are implementing new measures to manage bear and other animal encounters. Akita City has announced plans to expand subsidies to the entire city for the removal of fruit trees, such as persimmons and chestnuts, which attract bears. The city also intends to increase the number of automatic cameras used in traps to better monitor bear activity and strengthen capture efforts.

Simultaneously, Machimamori LLC, based in Awara, Fukui Prefecture, is launching a new reporting system called ‘Machimamori’ to streamline how residents report wildlife sightings and crop damage. The system allows users to submit reports via photos and maps without requiring personal registration, addressing the difficulty of reporting incidents to fragmented municipal departments. This initiative follows reports of significant economic losses from wildlife damage and a record high of 13 bear-related deaths in Japan during the 2025 fiscal year.