Japan now stands at a critical crossroads in its relationship with wild animals. In 2025, the number of people injured or killed by bears has reached an all-time high since statistics began, an unprecedented and abnormal situation.
On September 4, 2025, Japan and the United States announced a new agreement on the long-standing auto tariff issue. The U.S. formally set an upper limit of 15%—including the current Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) rate of 2.5%—on tariffs applied to passenger vehicles and auto parts imported from Japan.