Bears Top the List in Japanese Harmful Animal Survey

Keep Your Distance

Injuries from bear attacks have been occurring frequently in Japan. A recent survey found that 67.6% of respondents felt that sightings of wild animals and injuries or damage caused by them are on the rise.

The online survey was conducted by the Tokyo-based company Cross Marketing from October to November 2025, targeting men and women across Japan aged 20 to 69. A total of 1,100 valid responses were received from 550 men and 550 women.

The response to the question about sightings of harmful animals and the damage caused by them shows that the older the respondent, the more likely he or she was to perceive that such incidents are on the rise, with the figure reaching 80.9% among those in their sixties.

When asked to list the animals they consider harmful (with multiple answers possible), bears ranked at the top, mentioned by 56.9%, followed by wild boars and rats or mice, at 50.0% and 46.6%, respectively.

Another multiple-response question, concerning what precautions should be taken against harmful animals, the top answer was the advice of “not approaching too close to them,” at 44.3%. Other common responses included “cover garbage collection sites with nets” (38.3%), “do not leave food waste outdoors” (35.9%), and “do not feed wild animals” (35.7%).

Data Sources

• Survey on harmful animals (Japanese) from Cross Marketing.

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo: Senshū Park in the center of the city of Akita, where access has been limited recently due to bear sightings. Photo taken on November 6, 2025. © Jiji.)