1. There has been a significant increase in bear sightings in northeastern Japan from December to January since fiscal 2023, with a peak of 284 reported sightings in December 2023 – over nine times the number in the previous year.

2. The expert, Mizoguchi Toshio, suggests that this increase is due to bears discovering human food sources in residential areas during their search for food in December, which may have caused them to delay their hibernation until mid-January in 2024.

3. To prevent further bear sightings and potential attacks, Mizoguchi advises against leaving persimmons and other foods in residential areas, especially unattended trees where bears have been spotted. He also calls for swift action from the central government to address abandoned persimmon trees in depopulated regions.