Tokyo(The COW News Digital) Japan’s newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the country’s first female leader, is facing an unexpected and alarming challenge — a surge in deadly bear attacks that has shaken public confidence and added a new dimension to her already demanding political agenda.
Takaichi, a conservative politician known for her strong views on defense, trade, and economic reform, took office earlier this week after securing a majority vote in Japan’s lower house of parliament. But just days into her historic tenure, she now finds herself contending with a record wave of bear attacks across the country.
According to local media reports, two separate incidents on Friday left one person dead and four others injured, bringing this year’s total fatalities from bear attacks to 10 — the highest in Japan’s recorded history. In comparison, six people were killed by bears during the entire fiscal year 2024.
In one of the latest attacks, a bear mauled four people in a mountainous village in Akita Prefecture, killing one of them instantly and injuring the rest before being shot by police. Authorities are investigating whether the animal killed was responsible for the earlier attacks.
Earlier the same day, in Toyama Prefecture, a 70-year-old woman was attacked and injured by a bear while walking near her home. The incidents have sparked growing concern about public safety in rural communities.
Experts attribute the increase in bear encounters to declining rural populations, climate change, and food shortages, which have driven the animals closer to human settlements in search of sustenance.
Japan’s new Environment Minister recently vowed that the government will take decisive steps to control the crisis, calling it a “serious national issue.” Measures under consideration include improved wildlife management, enhanced hunter training programs, and community-level safety protocols.
For Prime Minister Takaichi, the bear crisis adds to a long list of national challenges — from reviving Japan’s sluggish economy and ensuring energy stability to addressing security concerns in East Asia. Public opinion suggests that how her administration handles this unusual but deadly problem could influence her political standing in the coming months.
As the nation mourns the victims and debates new policies, Japan is reminded that even in one of the world’s most technologically advanced societies, nature’s wild power remains a formidable force.
