Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Japan recorded a record number of Deaths due to bear attack The environment ministry said this amid growing concern over another possible victim after a person went missing this year.
At least seven people have died Bear attack Since April, it is the largest death toll since 2006, when the country began keeping records of deaths caused by bear attacks.
Authorities fear a 60-year-old man who went missing Thursday while cleaning an outdoor hot spring bath may be the latest victim of a bear attack. Fuji Television Network reported that at least five others were injured after the attacks in Akita and Fukushima prefectures.
Bear sightings have been increasing in many parts of Japan in recent years, partly due to habitat loss and lack of food in the forest. Experts say that the climate crisis and rising temperatures are also affecting the hibernation patterns of animals.
Last week, a 1.4 million adult bear was seen entering a supermarket in Japan’s Gunma region, north of Tokyo. According to reports, more than 100 other people have suffered injuries, including bites and deep lacerations, from bear attacks.
Earlier in October, a man in his 70s was found dead after being attacked by the animal in the northern Iwate region. Local media reported that his head and torso were severed. Two days later, the body of another man in his 70s was discovered in a forest in Iwate.
An 80-year-old woman was walking in Akita Prefecture when she was attacked from behind by a bear, causing facial injuries that required stitches.
NHK World quoted her as saying, “It was very sudden. I only remember the feeling that it was a bear. I won’t go out alone anymore. I don’t know where a bear could appear.”
Japan’s environment ministry had earlier issued advisories urging local governments to take preventive measures such as posting warning signs and using noise suppressors.
It also relaxed a ban on shooting bears in residential areas in the wake of a worrying increase in bear attacks. Until now, hunters were prohibited from shooting bears in densely populated areas without explicit permission from the police. Critics said this often slowed down response to dangerous situations.
The amended law, passed in April, gives municipal authorities the power to directly ask licensed hunters to kill or capture brown and black bears.
Japanese Environment Minister Keiichiro Asao said last month that the government would “provide training, share case examples and provide financial support to ensure smooth implementation”.
Local governments in Japan reported 3,032 bear sightings in April and May alone, about 500 more than a normal year.