Hokkaido bears need a real wildlife sanctuary, not a zoo. In the past, indigenous Ainu treated the Hokkaido bears with respect, even incorporating them into their religious ceremonies. In today’s Japan, however, the bears are treated as a nuisance more likely to be killed than preserved as an essential part of the country’s wildlife. To be sure, these bears are neither cuddly nor cartoonish. Known as “Higuma,” (also Black Grizzly, Ussuri Brown Bear, or Ezo…