Bear Attacks Man in Japan’s Tochigi Prefecture; Victim Was Taking Refuge After Reports of Bear Sighting

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:34 JST, June 30, 2025

NASUSHIOBARA, Tochigi — A man was bitten on the head by a bear on Monday morning in Nasushiobara, Tochigi Prefecture.

The man, who is in his 70s, was taken to a hospital but is said to be in stable condition.

The attack, which took place at 6:40 a.m., is believed to have occurred on the premises of a house belonging to an acquaintance of the victim, and the victim seems to have stopped farming and evacuated to the house after learning a report of a bear sighting on a nearby road, according to Nasushiobara Police Station.

The bear is said to be about 1.5 meters tall.

The site of the attack is about 3.5 kilometers north of JR Nasushiobara Station. Elementary and junior high schools in the area stopped outdoor activities and went under lockdown.