Japan has issued a safety warning to people visiting its mountains during autumn, telling them to watch out for bears.

During this season, bears typically eat a lot of acorns – nuts that grow on oak trees – as they prepare for winter hibernation.

But the nuts are in short supply in 2023, an Environment Ministry official said. This means hungry bears may emerge from their habitats and look for food elsewhere, including in human settlements.

So bear sightings may become more common, the authorities said.

An official in charge of wildlife management advised visitors to the mountains not to scream or run when they encounter a bear.

“Move slowly backwards without taking your eyes off the animal,” the official said.

Visitors are also advised to turn back from the path they are on if they come across bear paw marks or excrement.

In addition, it would help to carry and use bear bells and to speak loudly – this alerts bears to the visitors’ presence so that they will avoid the visitors – and even carry bear spray, the authorities said.

Deaths and injuries caused by bears have been increasing, according to the Environment Ministry.

Between April and July 2023, there were a record 54 such cases in Japan, the highest since record-keeping began in 2007, according to media organisation NHK World.

During the same period, bears were spotted 7,967 times, the second-highest number in five years.

According to The Japan Times, the number spotted may be higher than that because some cases might not have been reported.