Bears kill seven people in Japan this year as attacks hit record high

[Sanjeev]

According to Japan's environment ministry, the number of bear-related fatalities this year has hit a record high. Since April, seven persons have lost their lives, the most since statistics began to be kept in 2006. The majority of these deaths have occurred in the northern prefecture of Hokkaido and in northeastern areas.

It is believed that the most recent instance was a 60-year-old guy who vanished while cleaning an outdoor hot spring bath. Bear attacks typically peak in the fall before bears hibernate, and researchers think that low beech nut harvests due to climate change may be forcing hungry animals into residential areas. Another factor mentioned is depopulation.