Japan reports increasing brown bear sightings in Kanazawa and Akita regions

In late July, a 70‑year‑old photographer captured a brown bear walking slowly along a prefectural road near Kigo Mountain in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture. The animal, about 1.5 m long, showed no fear of the vehicle and later descended a cliff. This is the photographer’s fifth bear encounter, and it adds to 165 sightings reported across Ishikawa this year, including a recent attack on an 80‑year‑old man in Komatsu.

On the same day, a 60‑year‑old woman in Akita Prefecture’s Kazuno City spotted a bear about 70 cm long in a rice field, roughly 30 m from the Hinni Support School. Police have warned nearby residents to stay alert. Both incidents highlight a rise in bear activity near human settlements and concerns about public safety.