Bear attacks in Japan increase at unprecedented pace

TOKYO - Japan is seeing the number of people attacked by bears in fiscal 2023 increase at an unprecedented pace, reported Xinhua, quoting local media on Sunday.

A total of 109 people were hurt, two fatally, between April and September, mostly in the northern part of Japan's main island Honshu, Kyodo News said, citing the environment ministry's preliminary data released in early October.

The number marks the highest for the same period since fiscal 2007 when such monthly statistics became available, the report said.

Attacks have been reported in 15 of Japan's 47 prefectures during the six-month period from April, with around 70 per cent of cases in northeastern Japan, according to the data.

By prefecture, Akita had the most victims, with 28 people, followed by Iwate and Fukushima with 27 and 13 people, respectively, Kyodo News reported.

Meanwhile, this year is seeing a poor nut season, forcing bears to venture to greater areas, including near human habitats, to seek food as they prepare for hibernation, it added.

The current record for the highest number of people wounded by the animals, which include Asian black bears and Ussuri brown bears, is 158 in fiscal 2020. - BERNAMA-XINHUA