The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has approved a draft plan to lift its nearly 20\u2011year ban on hunting Asian black bears, as human\u2011bear conflicts escalate across the Tama region in western Tokyo.<\/p>\n
Since mid\u2011May, the area has seen a surge in bear sightings, with some hikers reportedly attacked. Citing public safety concerns, the Tokyo government on Sep. 1 approved a five\u2011year bear management plan that would allow licensed hunters to cull approximately 34 bears annually in designated areas starting next fiscal year.<\/p>\n
Tokyo first banned bear hunting in 2008 to protect the species, which was considered endangered. But recent surveys show that bear sightings within the metropolitan area have jumped from 70 in 2021 to 213 in 2025. Notably, the proportion of sightings occurring within 200 metres of homes, farms, and other human settlements has surged from under 10% to over 40%.<\/p>\n
Using the “hair trap method” \u2014 barbed\u2011wire enclosures that collect fur samples from passing bears \u2014 researchers estimate the current Tokyo bear population at between 120 and 378, with an average density of 0.47 bears per square kilometre of forest.<\/p>\n
Under the new plan, hunting will be permitted in seven western municipalities, including Hachioji, Okutama, Hinode, and Hinohara, which have been designated as “management areas.” Only experienced, licensed hunters will be allowed to participate.<\/p>\n
While bear attacks in Tokyo remain relatively rare \u2014 between zero and two annually, with no fatalities to date \u2014 the situation in Japan’s northeastern Tohoku region is far more severe. Six fatal attacks have occurred there since April, and nationwide, bear attacks killed a record 13 people in fiscal 2025.<\/p>\n
Experts attribute the rising number of bear sightings and attacks to multiple factors. Poor harvests of acorns and nuts in forests \u2014 linked by some to climate change \u2014 have driven hungry bears out of the mountains and into urban areas in search of food.<\/p>\n
The Tokyo government will now conduct a public consultation process. If completed successfully, the hunting ban is expected to be formally lifted from April 2027.<\/p>\n
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