Overview

• The Tohoku Regional Forest Management Office has predicted a ‘大凶作’ major beech nut failure this autumn across five prefectures outside Fukushima, marking the second regionwide shortfall since 2004.
• Spring flowering inspections at 140 locations showed widespread non-flowering, with Akita Prefecture recording 70% of sites without blossoms and a mast index of 0.4.
• Forestry officials warn the nut scarcity could drive black bears into populated areas from autumn, recalling a spike in bear-related injuries during the 2023 mast failure.
• Akita’s Nature Conservation Division and other local authorities are urging residents to secure food waste and implement measures to deter bear encounters.
• A definitive assessment of beech nut yields will be made after autumn fruiting surveys later this year.