Overview
- At a Sept. 11 briefing, the Shiretoko Brown Bear Countermeasures Liaison Meeting said it will finalize prevention measures this fiscal year, including possible private‑car limits, pre‑climb briefings, and set rules for closing trails.
- The group will review information sharing, trail management, and responses to habituated bears while seeking advice from the World Natural Heritage science committee working group.
- Rausu‑dake’s route remains closed pending the investigation, and an Environment Ministry official said reopening this season is unlikely.
- Officials detailed prior close encounters with the monitored female bear known as SH — including 5 meters on July 21 and 2 meters on Aug. 3 — and confirmed patrols on Aug. 13 chose warnings after interviews with about 80 hikers.
- As an immediate step, the Environment Ministry installed surveillance cameras on Sept. 12 near the Iwaobetsu River to deter unsafe crowding around bears and address human habituation.