Japan implements AI and drones to combat rising bear attacks

Japan is facing a significant surge in human-bear encounters, with 13 fatalities and over 220 injuries reported between April 2025 and March 2026. The increase in attacks by Asiatic black bears and brown bears is attributed to several factors, including the decline of rural communities and the loss of farmland that previously acted as a buffer between settlements and forests. Additionally, climate change has impacted the availability of natural food sources like berries and acorns, leading bears to seek food in human settlements.

The Japanese government has designated the growing bear population as a serious threat to public safety. A population control roadmap aims to reduce bear numbers to between 62% and 67% of current levels by 2030 through culling and relaxed hunting rules.

In response, various regions are implementing technological and non-lethal deterrents. These include AI-powered cameras for early detection in Gunma, Toyama, and Ishikawa, and the use of drones in Hokkaido. Innovative solutions such as the solar-powered ‘Monster Wolf’ robot, which mimics the sound of the extinct Japanese wolf, and the use of specially trained bear dogs in Nagano, are being utilized to discourage bears from entering populated areas without necessarily killing them.