Elderly Men Injured in Bear Attacks in Tochigi Pref.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:02 JST, July 6, 2025

NASUSHIOBARA, Tochigi – An 85-year-old man was bitten on his rear by a bear while tending to his garden at about 5:30 a.m. Sunday, police said.

The man sustained minor injuries, with bite marks on his buttocks. According to the Nasushiobara Police Station, the bear is estimated to be about one meter tall.

Later at about 10:30 a.m., a 77-year-old company employee from Nasu was attacked by a bear in a forest in Nasushiobara, about three to four kilometers from the first victim’s home. The man, who was out for a stroll, was bitten on his arms, legs and head. He was taken to a hospital and is reportedly in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries.

According to the police, the company employee had visited the location alone to photograph animals. He heard a noise behind him and on turning around saw two bears, believed to be a parent that was about 1.7 meters tall and cub that was about 1 meter tall. It is thought the man was attacked by the parent bear.