46-year-old Man Killed by Bear in Japan’s Nagano Prefecture; 2nd Man Sustained Minor Injuries

The Yomiuri Shimbun

18:37 JST, June 22, 2025

A 46-year-old man was killed by a bear in a forest in Omachi, Nagano Prefecture on Sunday morning while he was collecting bamboo shoots.

A man in his 70s called 119 and reported his acquaintance had been “attacked by a bear.” According to the Omachi Police Station, the face of the 46-year-old construction worker was scratched by the bear, and he was pronounced dead at the hospital where he was taken. The man who reported the incident was also bitten on the right elbow and sustained only minor injuries.

The bear is believed to be an adult. Its whereabouts after attacking the two men are unknown.