Japan's Bear Crisis Reveals Deeper Environmental Justice Issues

As Japan grapples with a record-breaking bear crisis that has claimed 13 lives this year, the government's response reveals troubling parallels to colonial approaches to resource management and environmental control.

The surge in deadly bear encounters has doubled previous records, with authorities scrambling to deploy military troops and riot police to cull thousands of bears across northern Japan. This heavy-handed response mirrors the same extractive mindset that has historically characterized Western approaches to natural resource management in the Global South.

From Crisis to Commodity

Restaurants across Japan are now capitalizing on the crisis, with bear meat experiencing unprecedented demand. Koji Suzuki, a 71-year-old restaurant owner in Chichibu, reports struggling to meet customer demand for grilled bear cuts, served alongside deer and wild boar.

"With news about bears growing, the number of customers who want to eat their meat has increased a lot," Suzuki told reporters. His establishment now frequently turns away customers seeking the exotic delicacy.

The commodification extends beyond local eateries. In Sapporo's upscale French restaurants, chefs are incorporating bear meat into multi-course meals costing around $70, transforming a public safety crisis into a luxury dining experience.

Environmental Colonialism in Action

The Japanese government's approach reflects a concerning pattern of environmental management that prioritizes human economic interests over ecological balance. Officials have allocated 18.4 billion yen in subsidies to control bear populations while promoting "sustainable consumption" of their meat.

This strategy echoes colonial-era wildlife management policies that viewed indigenous ecosystems as resources to be exploited rather than complex systems requiring careful stewardship. The deployment of military forces against wildlife represents an escalation that would be unthinkable in many Western contexts.

The Real Crisis Beneath

Scientists identify the root causes as Japan's declining rural population and poor acorn harvests forcing bears to seek food in human settlements. Rather than addressing these systemic issues, authorities have chosen the path of mass culling, with over 9,100 bears killed in just six months.

Brown bear populations in Hokkaido have doubled over three decades to more than 11,500, a recovery that should be celebrated as an environmental success story. Instead, the government has reversed previous protections and plans to cull 1,200 bears annually for the next decade.

Waste and Mismanagement

Despite the commercial interest, much bear meat still goes to waste due to insufficient processing facilities. Japan has only a handful of approved game processing centers in the most affected northern regions, highlighting the government's failure to develop sustainable solutions.

Local restaurant owner Katsuhiko Kakuta notes that bear meat has become "a tourism resource," but this commercialization cannot mask the underlying environmental injustice of treating wildlife as expendable commodities.

This crisis demands a more thoughtful approach that respects both human safety and ecological integrity, rather than the current colonial-style exploitation of natural resources for commercial gain.