Japan Turns To AI Cameras As Record Bear Attacks Raise Alarm

Japan Turns to AI Cameras as Record Bear Attacks Raise Alarm

Bear attacks in Japan have reached record levels, with 13 people killed and more than 220 injured between April 2025 and March 2026. The surge in dangerous encounters has prompted authorities in regions prone to bear sightings to explore technology-based measures to protect residents and reduce human-wildlife conflicts. Forests surrounding residential areas are increasingly being equipped with movement-monitoring cameras capable of using artificial intelligence to identify bears and alert local officials when the animals are detected. The technology is intended to provide authorities with earlier warnings, allowing them to respond before bears enter populated areas. Japan has faced a growing bear problem in recent years, with animals increasingly venturing into towns, residential neighbourhoods and other populated areas in search of food. Experts have linked the increase partly to changes in the availability of natural food sources, including poor harvests of nuts that bears rely on before winter, as well as the decline of rural populations and abandoned farmland. The scale of the problem has led Japan to take increasingly aggressive measures. More than 14,000 bears were culled between April 2025 and January 2026, according to government data, although conservationists have questioned whether large-scale culling can provide a long-term solution. Authorities and communities are therefore exploring alternatives, including improved monitoring, public warnings and other methods designed to detect bears before they come into close contact with people. The use of AI-powered surveillance cameras marks a growing reliance on technology as Japan attempts to balance public safety with the conservation of its bear populations.