5 Injured in Bear Attack in Residential Area in Northern Japan

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:48 JST, October 9, 2023

Four men and a woman, ranging in age from their 60s to 80s, were taken to a hospital after being attacked by a bear in a residential area of Akita City on Monday morning.

A passerby called emergency services to report the attack, which occurred about five kilometers southwest of JR Akita Station. The five suffered injuries to the head and other parts of the their bodies.

A male resident who saw the bear running away from the area said, “I never thought a bear would appear here.”

The bear is estimated to be about 80 centimeters in length.

There was also a spotting of a bear on a nearby river bank at around 6:15 a.m. Monday, although authorities are not sure it is the same animal.