30-06-2025
Bear attacks continue in Japan, two injured on Monday
Wild bears continue to be spotted in human inhabited areas across Japan. Two people sustained injuries in separate bear attacks on Monday.
Police in Tochigi Prefecture received a call at around 6:30 a.m. that a bear was running around in Nasushiobara City.
Officers found a man in his 70s with wounds to his neck and head seeking refuge in a nearby home. They say he was treated at a hospital, and his injuries are not life-threatening.
Witnesses say a bear that is about 1.5 meters tall attacked the man who lives in the neighborhood.
The incident took place in a residential area. There is an elementary school about 500 meters away.
At around 4:40 a.m., an emergency call was made to police in Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture, saying that a bear attacked a man who was weeding just outside a junior high school.
Police say the bear clawed the 81-year-old man's head. They also say he received medical treatment and is able to talk.
In the town of Aibetsu, Hokkaido, junior high school officials found what appear to be bear footprints in the schoolyard.
The school decided to cancel outdoor classes, and let students return home in groups to ensure their safety.
