Society
Hokkaido and Tohoku Mountain Hiking Drops 30% Amid Bear Attack Concerns
Smartphone location data reveals that hiking visits to mountains in Japan's Hokkaido and Tohoku regions dropped more than 30% from April to June compared with two years earlier, with the sharpest falls in areas affected by bear attacks. Authorities have issued increased warnings, and analysts say the decline reflects both safety concerns and the impact of local advisories, raising worries for regional tourism economies.
