A new episode of "Tamori Station" (TV Asahi), a special program hosted by Tamori that delves into a variety of topics, will air on November 7th from 8:00 pm to 9:48 pm. The episode will focus on the recent spate of bear attacks across the country, and will examine countermeasures while tracing the ecology of bears and their history with humans.
Recently, the number of "urban bears" appearing in urban areas has been increasing rapidly. Based on footage of bears being spotted in various locations, this program explores the reasons behind the increase in these aggressive urban bears that are unafraid of humans, including global warming and poor acorn harvests.
The program also focuses on tragic bear attacks from the past. In the 1923 "Ishikari Numata Horoshin Incident," in which eight people were killed or injured, a recording of the man's voice who miraculously survived a bear attack will be released. In the 1970 "Fukuoka University Wandervogel Club Brown Bear Incident," in which three people died, the program will introduce the tragic notes kept by a student who was stalked by a bear right up until his death.
Tamori also travels to Hokkaido to report on the situation. At Noboribetsu Bear Ranch, he examines the bears' excellent sense of smell and learns that they also have excellent memories. He also visits Shiretoko, one of the world's highest density habitats for brown bears, and reports on the front lines of countermeasures. During his reporting, he receives a report of a bear sighting.
Three stuffed bears appeared in the studio. Upon seeing the stuffed brown bear, host Kimura Yoshino expressed her fear, saying, "Their claws are sharp... If they scratch you with them, you're dead. It would be scary if they stood up." The program also interviewed people who have actually survived bear attacks, as well as a doctor who has many years of experience treating injuries sustained by bears. They introduce actions that can mean the difference between life and death, and defensive postures that can save lives.
After finishing the recording, Tamori said, "I think bears on farms are different from those in the wild, but they were still impressive to see up close. I was also surprised at how well they can learn. Nowadays, just because you live in an urban area does not mean you are safe. I hope that everyone will watch this program and think about how to deal with bears. I also think that the time has come for us to urgently take measures at the national level."
Guests will include Yoshikazu Sato, professor in the Department of Environmental Coexistence at Rakuno Gakuen University, and Yasuo Tamaki, captain of the Brown Bear Prevention Team of the Hokkaido Hunters' Association Sapporo Branch.
