HOKKAIDO, Oct 23 (News On Japan) - The number of people killed in bear attacks across Japan in 2025 has risen to nine—the highest ever recorded—prompting urgent responses from both the government and local authorities as incidents continue to spread from forests to residential areas.
On the morning of October 21st in Urakawa, Hokkaido, three bears appeared near a kindergarten bus, startling the children inside. Video taken from inside the bus shows the bears crossing the road directly in front of the vehicle while pedestrians can be seen in the distance. The animals, believed to be a mother and two cubs, measured about 1.5 meters and 1 meter respectively. After crossing the road, they disappeared between houses. No injuries were reported.
In Aizumisato, Fukushima Prefecture, an elderly couple was attacked by a bear around 7:30 a.m. on October 22nd. The wife, in her 80s, encountered the bear while taking out the garbage, and her husband, also in his 80s, was attacked after rushing out upon hearing her screams. Both sustained injuries to the neck area. The bear remains at large.
That same morning in Kitaakita, Akita Prefecture, a male bear about one meter long was captured after breaking into the basement of a home. A resident alerted authorities around 7 a.m. after hearing noises and discovering the animal inside. The bear remained in the storage area until city officials set up a box trap at the entrance, capturing it within five minutes.
In Kitakami, Iwate Prefecture, the identity of a man killed in a bear attack was confirmed on October 21st. The victim, 60-year-old Katsumi Sasazaki, was an employee at Semionsen hot spring. He went missing while cleaning an outdoor bath on October 16th, and his body was found in nearby woods the following day. Investigators believe he was dragged away by a bear, as his body showed severe injuries to the neck and back.
Sasazaki had moved to Kitakami in March 2025 with his wife and two young daughters, after previously working with Semionsen representative director Kazuhiro Iwamoto in the professional wrestling industry. Iwamoto described Sasazaki as a kind man devoted to his family, saying, "He truly loved his wife and children—he was the model of a father."
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi warned on October 22nd that “the number of bear-related deaths this fiscal year has already reached a record nine,” urging residents to remain alert and heed local government warnings.
In Tateyama, Toyama Prefecture, local authorities conducted live training the same day for “emergency shooting hunts,” designed to allow licensed hunters to fire within populated areas if bears appear, as Japan grapples with its most severe spate of bear encounters in history.
Source: FNN
