3 people mauled to death by bears in one week

Japan has seen a record number of bear attacks this year.

This was reported by The Japan Times.

Three deadly bear encounters in one week

Authorities in Japan say three people died in separate bear incidents over the course of a single week.

The cases include an elderly forager who went missing in the woods and another victim whose remains showed catastrophic injuries consistent with a bear attack.

Mushroom picker found dead in Iwate

Police in Iwate Prefecture reported that a man believed to be in his seventies did not return after going to gather mushrooms in a forested area.

He was later discovered deceased.

Officials said injuries on his body, including distinct scratch marks, point to a bear encounter as the likely cause.

Second Iwate case involved severe trauma

In a separate incident elsewhere in Iwate, officers located another man who had died in what appeared to be a bear attack.

Local media reported that the victim’s head and torso had been separated, an indication of extreme violence that aligns with a mauling.

Investigators are working to confirm the precise circumstances.

Elderly man in Nagano suspected victim

A third fatality occurred in Nagano Prefecture, where a 78 year old man was found with multiple claw wounds.

Police said the pattern of injuries suggests a bear was responsible, although the official cause of death remains under investigation.

Bear species present in Japan

Japan is home to Asian black bears and Ussuri brown bears.

Brown bears can grow very large and, while they often feed on vegetation, they will prey on animals they encounter.

Asian black bears are smaller but still powerful and opportunistic, consuming insects, fruit, nuts, and small animals. Both species can be dangerous if surprised or food conditioned.

Attacks and injuries have risen this year

Wildlife incidents involving bears have climbed in recent years, a trend linked by experts to habitat shifts, climate effects, and depopulation in some rural regions.

Between April and September of this year, more than one hundred people were injured nationwide in bear encounters, according to government figures.

Deaths since April have reached at least six, and the past week’s fatalities may push totals toward a new annual high.

Supermarket intrusion

Public concern intensified after a bear entered a supermarket in Numata City, Gunma Prefecture, around 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 7, injuring two men before fleeing as customers evacuated.

Witnesses described the animal moving through aisles that included seafood displays, and broadcasters said about forty people were inside at the time.

“It looked confused — not hunting or foraging,” said a store manager, describing the 10–15 minute ordeal.

Both victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to CNN.

Growing fears of more attacks

In August, a brown bear killed a hiker in Hokkaido, whose remains were later recovered by authorities.

Officials now warn that encounters are becoming more frequent, urging residents to carry bear bells, avoid remote areas, and travel in groups when hiking or foraging.

This article is made and published by Camilla Jessen, which may have used AI in the preparation