by Theleaders | May 9, 2026 1:11 pm
TOKYO, May 9 — Two people were found dead in northeastern Japan in likely bear attacks earlier this week, which, if confirmed, would bring this year’s fatalities from such incidents to three so far, Kyodo News reported.
With the two suspected cases in Iwate and Yamagata prefectures following a confirmed case in Iwate last month, it appears likely that deadly bear attacks are happening at a faster pace than last year, when the first fatality occurred in late June.
The risk of encountering bears that have come out of hibernation has left residents and business owners nervous, particularly in the northeast, where most of the country’s fatal bear attacks in 2025 occurred.
A 55-year-old woman found dead in Shiwa, Iwate, on April 21 was confirmed to have been killed in Japan’s first fatal bear attack of this year, according to Environment Ministry data.
On Thursday, the body of a 69-year-old woman in Hachimantai, Iwate, was found in a forested area near her home with scratch marks on her face and head, police said.
Two days earlier, a 78-year-old man was found dead in a wooded area in Sakata, Yamagata, with trauma to his head and arms.
When a search team spotted the body, a bear came out of the woods, prompting a hunter with the team to kill the animal, according to police.
Both victims had been out to collect edible plants.
Ministry data show 13 people were killed in bear attacks last year, with the first confirmed case in June followed by three more the following month. Of the total, 10 occurred in the prefectures of Akita, Iwate and Miyagi, all in Japan’s northeastern region.
News of the attacks scared away many visitors from tourist spots in the region during the autumn foliage season.
As people plan outings and trips for warmer seasons, event organisers and businesses are taking steps to prevent bear-related incidents.
At a late April marathon event in Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, organisers used firecrackers before runners started as a way to deter bears from coming too close.
A drone equipped with a heat sensor was flown over a park in Kitakami, Iwate, to keep visitors safe while viewing cherry blossoms.
A camping ground in a mountainous area of Yamagata Prefecture plans to use fireworks and loud music to ward off any bears in the area.
But the specter of visitors staying away remains a major concern.
“Safety is our priority, but our business will be in trouble if campers don’t come,” an employee said.
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