The Canadian government has updated its travel advisory for those planning to visit Japan, specifically cautioning about bear encounters in the northern regions of the country.

On the official travel advice page for Japan, alongside information concerning geopolitical tensions on the Korean peninsula and a minor uptick in local crime rates, Canadian authorities have added a new section titled "Bears."

"There is an increased presence of bears in northern Japan, including Akita, Niigata, and Hokkaido prefectures," the advisory reads. "Bears have been sighted in urban areas as well as resorts and hiking trails. Some encounters have resulted in casualties."

The Canadian government recommends visitors to northern Japan remain alert at all times and exercise caution: "Always be aware of your surroundings and stay vigilant. Avoid walking alone in areas where bears have been spotted. Follow any warnings or alerts issued by local authorities." The advisory also references information provided by the Hokkaido government regarding brown bears.

The issue of increased bear activity has not gone unnoticed within Japan itself. According to reporting from Mainichi newspaper, there were a record 13 fatalities attributed to bear attacks between April and November 5 this year-more than double last year's figure of five deaths.

Authorities estimate that approximately 54,000 bears inhabit Japan. Asiatic black bears-also known as moon bears-are found throughout much of the country, while brown bears are native only to Hokkaido, which is Japan’s northernmost major island.

In response to rising incidents involving bears entering populated areas, Japanese regulations were amended in September. These changes allow municipalities to commission hunters for emergency shootings when dangerous animals approach urban zones. Police officers now also have authority to kill bears if necessary; previously their actions were limited mainly to evacuating residents and patrolling school routes when sightings occurred.

Further revisions came into effect on Friday: with a shortage of experienced hunters reported nationwide, officials expanded eligibility for hunting licenses to include retired police officers and former military personnel willing to assist in controlling dangerous wildlife populations.

The increase in bear attacks has coincided with a rise in fake media circulating online. Several reports highlight AI-generated videos depicting implausible scenes such as large groups of bears damaging solar panels or seizing household pets.

Some examples reviewed by the non-profit Japan Fact-Check Center bore watermarks from Sora-a video generator developed by OpenAI. While experts generally describe these manipulated clips as unsophisticated, they warn that misleading content can be effective amid an overwhelming volume of short online videos.