Niigata Prefecture heightens bear alert after woman dies from attack
The prefectural government of Niigata issued a special warning about wild bear encounters on Monday, a day after a woman died from injuries sustained in an attack when she was working on a farm earlier in the month.
Takako Saito, a 73-year-old resident of Sekikawa village, some 250 kilometers north of Tokyo, died Sunday -- the first death resulting from a bear attack in the prefecture since October 2001 -- after being found by a neighbor lying unconscious and bleeding heavily from her head and face on her property on Oct 1.
Local officials and police will increase patrols while urging residents to be extra vigilant by handing out fliers with recommendations about bear safety.
As of Sunday, Saito was among nine people attacked since April in Niigata Prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast, according to prefectural government officials.
The prefecture is home to a population of Asian black bears and has received more than 700 reports from locals who spotted the animals or traces of their presence between April and September, officials added, a record number.
Worse than normal availability of wild tree nuts, particularly beech nuts, that make up a large part of the bears' diet in the mountains is believed to be why they are venturing closer to areas inhabited by humans in search of food ahead of their winter hibernation, experts say.
Also behind the recent trend of increased encounters with bears is that villages in or near bear habitats are becoming increasingly depopulated due to the aging of the communities, said bear authority Hideo Miguchi, a Niigata University professor.
Niigata Prefecture also notes that more and more people are encroaching into bear habitat when hiking or mushroom picking, increasing the number of interactions and sightings in the spring to fall seasons.
News On Japan - Nov 26
A 29-year-old man has been arrested for meeting an underage teen girl, with sexual intent, after sending her messages, promising to make her "the happiest in the world".
News On Japan - Nov 25
A JR West Japan train conductor has been arrested for secretly filming eight women in the toilet of the express train "Haruka" while on duty.
NHK - Nov 24
Japanese police are investigating a stabbing incident that took place at a music arena in Yokohama City, south of Tokyo, on Thursday.
News On Japan - Nov 23
In the sidestreets of Tokyo's entertainment district, Kabukicho, known as "To-Yoko," there has been rampant abuse of over-the-counter cough medicine by young people wanting to experience 'overdose', that is, being completely incapacitated.
News On Japan - Nov 23
A wild boar that ran riot in a school in northern Japan on Thursday, smashing windows and frightening students and parents, is still on the loose in a residential area in Sendai, with local police receiving about 20 reports.
News On Japan - Nov 22
The first-ever competition to determine the world's best at trash collection has been held, with representatives from 21 countries gathering in Tokyo.
News On Japan - Nov 22
Streets littered with heaps of garbage, even spilling onto the opposite sidewalks, have become a pressing issue in Kamata, Tokyo, where local eateries line the streets.
NHK - Nov 22
The BBC has included a former member of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force who spoke out about sexual violence within her unit in its annual list of 100 women for 2023.
News On Japan - Nov 21
Sales of the "Year-End Jumbo Lottery," offering 1 billion yen in total prize money, kicked off Tuesday.
News On Japan - Nov 21
Video footage has emerged of a truck engulfed in flames on a highway in Hokkaido, Japan's northern island, after its tire fell off.
News On Japan - Nov 21
Approximately 4 million yen in cash was found in trash at a recycling plant in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture.
Japanese Comedian Meshida - Nov 20
Now many foreigners come to Japan and enjoy our culture. However, most visitors just see the surface of Japanese culture. To be honest, there are many hidden cultures in Japan. The same as a coin, Japan has different sides.
manilatimes.net - Nov 20
One in four couples who got married in the past year in Japan met through matching apps, the same proportion as those who met at work, a recent survey conducted by Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co. has found.
News On Japan - Nov 19
A far-right activist has been arrested and charged with assault after crashing a car into a barrier near the Israeli Embassy on Thursday, with a riot police officer suffering three broken fingers and a near-severed little finger.
News On Japan - Nov 18
Edogawa Ward in Tokyo, which has the highest incidence of bicycle thefts in the city, announced the installation of 80 surveillance cameras in bicycle parking areas at private condominiums and other locations.
The Japan Reporter - Nov 18
Netorare, 'NTR', is a genre where one person in a relationship gets cucked through adultery. This is very common to see in the Japanese porn and some people worry that makes Japan's cheating culture even worse.