Today's Close-Up S2025E56 - Japan's Bear Threat Continues: What's Pushing Them Into Human Habitats?

Bear attacks continue to plague cities of Japan, with a record high number of deaths and injuries. In the northern city of Akita, where a series of sightings have occurred, many people refrain from going out, and a sense of urgency is spreading. One resident said, "It's as if there's someone with a knife hiding somewhere on the street." Recent research indicates that a dependence on human habitats can be passed down from parent bears to their cubs. We consider how to deal with the urban bear problem, which has entered a new phase. 

Guest: Ohnishi Naoki (Leader of the Animal Ecology and Genetics Team, Tohoku Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute)