China warns citizens in Japan about wildlife risks amid surge in bear attacks

The Chinese embassy in Japan has urged Chinese citizens in the country to remain vigilant about local wildlife attacks amid a surge in incidents, with fatalities reaching a record high.

In a statement on social media on Friday, the embassy advised Chinese citizens to monitor local government information about wildlife sightings and avoid areas frequented by bears, wild boars and other animals.

Since April, Japan has recorded at least 13 fatal bear attacks and more than 100 injuries, the highest on record.

Most of the incidents occurred in mountainous or nearby residential areas, according to the embassy.

Chinese tourism to Japan remains robust. Data from the Japan National Tourism Organisation shows that in September, 3.27 million foreign visitors travelled to Japan, with mainland Chinese tourists making up the largest group of visitors. In the first nine months of the year, Japan welcomed a total of 31.65 million international visitors, over 23 per cent of whom were from China.

With a weakening yen, affordable airfares and an appealing travel experience, Japan is viewed by many Chinese tourists as a “high value for money” destination.

Japan was the top overseas destination for Chinese tourists during last month’s National Day “golden week” holiday, according to data from leading online travel agents such as Trip.com and Tongcheng.