Overview

• Over 200 complaints from outside affected regions flooded Hokkaido Prefectural Government and Fukushima Town offices, straining limited municipal resources.
• Two fatal bear attacks in July—an 81-year-old in Iwate and a 52-year-old in Fukushima Town—spurred intensified removal efforts in urban areas.
• Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki said some callers spent over two hours protesting and stressed the need to prioritize public safety after the deadly encounters.
• On August 1, Mutsu City unveiled its first official tally of captured bears to calm resident fears and boost transparency.
• The debate intensified when former Governor Yoshihisa Satake suggested deterring complainers by threatening to send bears to their homes, highlighting tensions over wildlife management.