Stomach Contents of Dead Brown Bear in Southern Hokkaido Match DNA of Deceased University Student

The Yomiuri Shimbun

21:04 JST, November 25, 2023

The stomach contents of a brown bear found dead on Mount. Daisengendake in southern Hokkaido matched the DNA of a 22-year-old university student from Hakodate in the prefecture whose body was found near the bear, Matsumae police station of the Hokkaido prefectural police said Friday.The police believe the university student died as a result of injuries sustained from the bear attack.

According to the police and other sources, two other men were attacked by a brown bear while hiking on the mountain on Oct. 31. One man defended himself with a knife, and both sustained minor injuries. On Nov. 2, the body of the university student was found near the dead bear. The bear had a wound on its neck, so authorities believe it to be the same bear that attacked the two other men.