Every day, news reports of bear damage and sightings are being broadcast within the country. While bears are forest animals, they have recently been appearing in human living areas, causing not only damage to agricultural crops but also human injury and fatalities. According to announcements from the Ministry of the Environment of Japan (MOE), as of November 5, 2025, the number of fatal bear accidents for the fiscal year has already reached 13 (11 on Honshu and 2 in Hokkaido). In particular, incidents surged in October, with a total of seven cases in Iwate, Akita, and Miyagi Prefectures in northern Honshu. Human-bear conflicts have escalated to the scale of a natural disaster. It has reached a point where the dispatch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces is being requested. Just as we check the daily weather forecast and prepare our clothing or rain gear before ... ... [Read more]

“Surprisingly impressive” this Expo As of this writing, four months have passed since the opening of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan (hereinafter Expo 2025) on April 13, 2025. Prior to the event, various criticisms and questions had been raised, including concerns about the appropriateness of the project costs and the plans for utilizing the site, which involve developing an integrated resort (IR), including a casino. Other concerns included methane gas emissions and whether there was any justification for hosting an Expo in Japan at this time. Even after the event began, there was no shortage of topics of criticism, such as the experimental toilets being difficult to use and the appearance of swarms of chironomids. Unpaid pavilion construction costs were also a cause for concern. However, public perception has steadily improved, and the number of visitors seems to be growing steadily as well.[1] Its ... ... [Read more]