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Field Notes from Tokyo
Beware of bears: Japan’s 2025 kanji character reflects worries over attacks on humans
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Visitors taking photos next to a bear warning sign at Shirakawa-go, a popular tourist spot and one of Japan's UNESCO World Heritage sites, on Nov 15.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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TOKYO – Snowboarding coach Makoto Kuroki was carving his way through fresh back-country powder in Hakuba on Dec 7, filming his smooth runs on the slopes, when he had an unexpected encounter.
A black bear briefly emerged from the wilderness and appeared to chase him before scampering away. What began as a showcase of his first snow-skating run of the winter quickly went viral – and made national headlines – as a vivid symbol of a national crisis.
