SHIZUOKA, May 22 (News On Japan) –
A black bear was filmed strolling immediately towards a digicam from just a few meters away at round 2 p.m. on May twenty first within the parking zone of a vacationer facility in Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture, because the particular person recording the scene may very well be heard saying, “Call someone. Wait a minute. This is bad, it is coming this way. We could get hurt.”
The space is close to a district of trip properties, however no accidents or harm have been reported thus far.
Bear sightings have additionally been reported in Miyagi Prefecture. On May twentieth, a bear was seen close to Naruko Onsen in Osaki, a scorching spring resort generally known as a “kingdom of hot springs.” Footage confirmed the bear operating towards an space the place a automobile was parked.
In the identical metropolis, a girl in her 70s stated a noticed occurred to save lots of her life. “The bear came from the side and brought its face close to me. I happened to have a saw, so I shouted and swung it away,” she stated.
The lady had been gathering bamboo shoots in a wooded space behind her dwelling on the morning of May twentieth when she encountered a bear measuring about 1 meter in size. She stated she waved the noticed and drove the animal away.
During the encounter, nevertheless, the girl fell and suffered a critical harm, fracturing a bone in her decrease again. “When I looked later, there was bear fur stuck here. It feels strange that I am still here safe like this,” she stated.
Damage and shut encounters involving Asian black bears have been reported in a number of components of Japan.
In Nishiwaga, Iwate Prefecture, a digicam captured a bear showing immediately in entrance of hunters on May twentieth. Tension unfold by means of the scene as individuals shouted, “Bear! Bear! Bear! Bear!” however the animal observed the massive variety of individuals and disappeared into the bushes.
Near that web site, the physique of a person with accidents to his head and physique was discovered. Police are investigating, believing it’s extremely more likely to be that of an 85-year-old man who had gone out to choose wild greens.
Bear-related incidents have additionally occurred within the mountains of Okutama, Tokyo. A Russian nationwide was attacked on May seventeenth, and a physique was discovered on May nineteenth. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the case, together with the chance that the particular person was attacked by a bear.
Footage obtained by this system, taken in July 2025, exhibits an Asian black bear strolling by means of the mountains of Okutama.
The particular person on the scene was Kazuhiro Matsumura, who beforehand served with the Tokyo Fire Department’s mountain rescue unit and now conducts rescue actions primarily in Okutama.
“I spend more than 300 days a year doing some kind of work in the mountains. That may have been the closest I have ever been to a bear. It came within about 5 meters,” stated Matsumura, president of ORANGE BEAR.
According to Matsumura, who checks mountain circumstances every day, Okutama has lengthy been a habitat for Asian black bears. He says it is vital for individuals coming into the mountains to “fear them correctly” with a purpose to keep away from encounters.
“You need to make it clear that you are there. If you ring a bear bell properly and take your own defensive measures, I have been going into the mountains for decades and have never had a serious accident there,” Matsumura stated. “This area is naturally very close to the wild, so contact with wild animals is unavoidable. I want people to understand that properly.”
According to Okutama city officers, the Russian nationwide who was attacked had been climbing alone and was not carrying a bear bell.
On May twenty first, yellow tape had been positioned throughout the mountain path, closing it to entry.
A person who runs a bento store in Okutama burdened that even inside the identical city, the mountains and the city space ought to be seen individually.
“I have heard of people being attacked by bears, but that is in the mountains. I have never heard of them coming down around the station or into residential areas,” stated Kazuyoshi Sato of Okutama no Daidokoro. “If people are worried, there are many precautions they can take. As long as they do that and come here to enjoy themselves, there should be no problem.”
When bear sightings are reported at journey locations, guests must have the right information and correct preparations earlier than heading into the realm.
Source: FNN