HOKKAIDO, May 18, 2026 (News On Japan) - A 78-year-old man who drove off a brown bear by punching it in the nose has recounted the terrifying ordeal, as an unusual surge in spring bear sightings continues across Japan, including in the Kanto region and Tokyo.
The incident occurred on the morning of May 17th in Shibetsu, Hokkaido, when the man was preparing to get into his car after gathering edible wild plants in the mountains.
A brown bear measuring about 1.5 meters in length suddenly emerged and charged toward him.
"It came at me like this, almost as if it was threatening me," the man said while describing the encounter.
According to the man, the bear appeared from nearby bushes after he shouted loudly in an attempt to scare it away. Instead, the bear rushed toward him, knocking him backward before climbing on top of him.
In a desperate split-second reaction, the man punched the bear in the nose, causing it to flee back into the bushes.
Remarkably, he escaped without injury.
"The bear was right above me, directly in front of my eyes," he said. "The fact that I returned home without even a single injury feels almost like a miracle."
The man said he normally carries bear bells and an alarm device attached to his backpack while entering the mountains, but on this occasion he had not brought the backpack with him.
Calling it the worst experience of his life, he said: "I never want to see a bear again. Before, when I went mountain vegetable picking, I often saw bears from far away, but when one gets that close, all you feel is fear."
Bear sightings have also been increasing in the Kanto region.
At Oze National Park, Japan's largest mountain marshland and a popular destination for hikers, a man spotted a mother bear and two cubs walking through the park at around 3:30 p.m. on May 16th.
The person who filmed the bears said they appeared to be feeding on wild gyouja garlic growing in the area.
"I think they were eating," the witness said. "This plant grows a lot around here, so they probably came to eat it."
The witness added that it was the first time he had seen bears in the area, describing the experience as startling. Staff at the visitor center reportedly used a megaphone to make loud noises and drive the bears away.
Tensions have also risen in Tokyo following a separate bear attack in the mountains of Okutama on May 17th.
A Russian man in his 30s was attacked while hiking and suffered injuries to his face and arms. He was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries, though his condition is not life-threatening.
Road closure signs were set up near the site of the attack as authorities strengthened warnings in the area.
One local resident was seen walking mountain paths carrying an old-style police baton.
"Since a bear appeared, I brought this with me today," the resident said. "It's something police officers used to use. I also have a bear bell and a whistle, and in the worst-case scenario maybe I could defend myself with the baton."
Source: FNN
