Bear Suspected in 2 Fatal Attacks Years Apart in Hokkaido Killed; DNA Samples Link Cases

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:29 JST, July 19, 2025

SAPPORO — The DNA of a bear killed on Friday matches that of the bear that killed a 52-year-old newspaper deliveryman in a residential area of Fukushima, Hokkaido, a week ago, it has been learned.

The bear is likely the same one that killed a 77-year-old woman in a mountainous part of the town four years ago, according to the Hokkaido prefectural government.

The male bear, which measures 208 centimeters in length and weighs 218 kilograms, was shot dead by a hunter early Friday morning in a residential area about one kilometer southeast of where the latest attack occurred, according to the Fukushima town government and the prefectural police.

According to the prefectural government, the Hokkaido Research Organization in Sapporo had confirmed that DNA from bear fur samples collected from the residential area where the man was attacked matched samples collected in July 2021 near the woman’s body, indicating that both samples belong to the same male bear. The DNA also matched the killed bear.

The distance between the residential and mountainous areas is about three kilometers. The male victim showed signs of having been dragged by the bear, and a hole seemingly dug to conceal a body was found where the woman’s remains were discovered.

“Hunters must act in teams to ensure safety while solving problems with urgency,” said Atsushi Horie, chairman of the Hokkaido Ryoyukai hunters’ association.

“It’s understood that if a bear has attacked a human once, it’s likely to do it again,” Rakuno Gakuen University Prof. Yoshikazu Sato said. “Now it’s been reaffirmed that unless such a bear is immediately dealt with, it will lead to further victims.”