Bear kills woman in Japan, 2 more deadly attacks suspected
CBS News • • world
Key Points:
- Japan confirmed its first fatal bear attack of 2026 with a 55-year-old woman killed in Iwate prefecture, following a record 13 deaths from bear attacks last year.
- Increased bear sightings have been reported as bears emerge hungry from hibernation, with two additional human bodies found recently in areas linked to bear attacks.
- Last year's surge in bear encounters, including incidents at supermarkets and resorts, was driven by a growing bear population and rural depopulation, allowing bears to expand into human-inhabited areas.
- The brown bear population has doubled over three decades to about 12,000, and Asian black bears now number around 42,000 on Honshu island, leading to overcrowding and more frequent human-bear conflicts.
- Experts urge vigilance in northern regions due to dense bear populations and factors such as abandoned farmland, with smaller black bears responsible for most attacks outside Hokkaido where larger brown bears reside.
