Abstract
To manage Japanese bears (Ursus arctos and U. thibetanus) appropriately, it is important to understand the current situation and the issues surrounding them. Therefore, we summarized their current management status in Japan for review by researchers and/or government administrators. We developed this from questionnaires given to prefectures about their management plans. We categorized necessary responses into five categories: population management, conflict management, habitat management, public education and human resource development. Control killing depending on individual conflict risk was imported into population management strategy among many prefectures. However, capture control and accuracy improvement in assessment of population dynamics were still great issues. For conflict management, developing an index regarding conflict occurrences is needed. The concept of habitat management was written in plans for many prefectures, but few measures took shape. Ways to implement specific measures and evaluate them should be considered. Public education about conflict avoidance was conducted widely. Its effects should be evaluated. The training of wildlife managers was lacking. Researchers should give technical support to local governments and give advice to Ministry of the Environment so that they make the intelligible management guideline.
