Bears have killed a record seven people this year, the highest since 2006 when the survey started, an environment ministry official said.
More and more wild bears have been spotted in recent years, even in residential areas, due to factors including a declining human population and climate change.
“This is the largest toll since 2006 when statistics started, surpassing five victims recorded in the 2023-24 fiscal year,” the ministry official said on condition of anonymity.
The statement followed confirmation that a man found dead last week in the northern region of Iwate was killed by a bear.
Including fatal cases, at least 108 people have been injured since April.
This is up from 85 incidents including three fatal cases the previous fiscal year, and compares with 219 in 2023/24, according to the environment ministry.
Last week a 1.4m adult bear entered a supermarket in Numata, Gunma, north of Tokyo.
The animal lightly injured a man in his 70s and another in his 60s, regional authorities said.
The store’s manager told local media that around 30 to 40 customers were inside at the time, and that the bear became agitated as it struggled to find the exit.
The same day a farmer in Iwate region was scratched and bitten by a bear, accompanied by a cub, just outside his house.
And earlier this month a Spanish tourist was attacked by a bear at a bus stop in the scenic village of Shirakawa-go in central Japan. — AFP
