Japan is currently in the peak season for autumn foliage viewing and hiking, but frequent bear sightings and attack incidents across the country have cast a shadow over the travel atmosphere. Foreign tourists are feeling uneasy, and travel agencies are busy reassuring and responding to their concerns.
According to a report by Asahi TV, a Japanese tour group leader mentioned that in the past, travelers mostly asked about natural disasters such as tsunamis, earthquakes, or typhoons. This is the first time they've received questions about bears. He said the travel agency first confirms travel destinations, then informs travelers that there is no risk of bear attacks in those areas, trying their best to reassure visitors.
A London branch of a major Japanese travel agency has also recently received multiple inquiries from foreign tourists due to the frequent bear attack incidents across Japan. One traveler had originally planned to hike in the Tohoku region for an entire day, but after seeing related reports, shortened the itinerary to just an hour and a half. This travel agency provides bear-repellent spray upon request, sending it to the traveler's hotel to help with prevention. They expect such inquiries to further increase and are preparing more response measures to ensure travelers can visit Japan with peace of mind.
●Hikers deeply concerned
In addition, a survey among Japanese people shows that about 80% of hikers are deeply concerned about bear sightings.
According to a survey of Japanese hikers, when asked “Have your thoughts on hiking changed as bear sighting reports increase?” 19.2% of respondents answered, “I feel very uneasy and am now hesitating to go hiking,” and 57.8% answered, “I feel somewhat uneasy and will be more vigilant.” In total, about 80% of hikers said they “feel uneasy.”