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Story summary
- Bear complaints disrupted 40% of local governments, with 17 of 40 councils reporting interference, ten councils reporting hour-long calls and five facing overwhelming website and email grievances.
- More than 50,000 bear encounters were recorded in 2025, while climber traffic in Hokkaido and Tohoku fell 30% between April and June.
- Utsunomiya Zoo opened a “Let’s start by learning about bears” exhibition until month’s end, urging visitors to keep a safe distance.
