At the Forest’s Edge- How Technology Is Helping Japan Coexist with Bears

Brown bear

In Japan’s northern and mountainous regions, the boundary between human settlement and wild habitat is growing ever thinner. As bears venture closer to towns and cities, encounters that were once rare are becoming increasingly common—posing risks to both people and animals. In the coastal city of Ishinomaki, in Miyagi Prefecture, local authorities are testing an unconventional response. Rather than fences or force, they are turning to technology. Specially equipped drones, designed to disperse bear repellent, are being introduced as a way to discourage bears from entering populated areas without direct human confrontation. The drones are produced by Terra Drone, a Japanese company that says the system allows bears to be deterred remotely and with precision. Operated from distances of up to half a mile, the aircraft can be deployed swiftly, keeping wildlife officers and residents out of harm’s way. An initial drone will be launched as a trial, with plans to expand the program next spring. The initiative, expected to cost several million yen, will be managed by a private operator appointed by the city. Officials hope the approach will reduce damage and defuse encounters, while allowing bears to retreat back into the surrounding forest. A demonstration video offers an early glimpse of the technology in action. Though filmed in Japanese and staged using a person in a bear costume, it reflects a broader ambition: to find new ways for humans and wildlife to share an increasingly crowded landscape.

An anti-bear attack drone equipped with bear spray. 

Bear sightings and attacks have become an increasing concern across Japan. Data from the country’s environment ministry show that reported sightings rose by 163 percent between 2021 and 2025. Since April alone, bear encounters have resulted in around 100 injuries and 12 fatalities. In response, authorities have introduced a range of countermeasures. In December, units from Japan’s Self-Defense Forces were deployed to northern regions where repeated sightings had been recorded. Their task: to install trap cages designed to capture bears that had strayed too close to human settlements. Technology has also begun to play a growing role. Alongside repellent-spraying drones, other aerial deterrents are being tested. In November, Gifu Prefecture launched drones fitted with oversized “googly eyes,” loudspeakers that mimic barking dogs, and firecrackers—an effort to frighten bears and drive them back toward forested areas before encounters escalate.

The Karelian Bear Dog; once used to hunt bears is now used to mitigate human-bear conflict.

While drones represent a strikingly innovative way to deter bears without causing harm, they are only one part of a much broader solution. Long-term coexistence depends just as heavily on prevention—particularly public awareness programs that teach bear safety and improve waste management in regions where sightings are frequent. Poorly stored food and rubbish remain among the strongest attractants drawing bears into human settlements. On the ground, more traditional methods continue to prove their worth. Specially trained hunting dogs have been used with notable success to reduce human–bear conflict. One such breed, the Karelian Bear Dog, was originally developed in Finland to confront large and dangerous wildlife. Today, its natural prey drive is employed not to hunt bears, but to drive them away. By standing its ground—barking persistently and nipping when necessary—the dog teaches bears to associate human areas with discomfort and risk. In Japan, these hardy dogs were first introduced in 2004 in Karuizawa, a popular resort town near Tokyo. The results were striking: reported bear incidents fell from 255 in 2006 to just four by 2017. Wildlife managers attribute this success to both the dogs’ presence and scent, which discourage repeat incursions. Their effectiveness, however, depends on careful application. The dogs are not used solely to chase bears away in the moment, but also as part of a process known as “hard release.” In this method, dogs are used to intimidate a captured bear before it is released back into the wild—often accompanied by loud noises such as bean-bag rounds fired into the air. The aim is to recondition the animal, reinforcing a lasting fear of human spaces. Taken together—public education, improved waste practices, drone technology, capture-and-release programs, and trained dogs—these approaches point toward a more sustainable future. It is through this layered strategy, rather than any single solution, that Japan may yet achieve a lasting and peaceful coexistence between people and bears.