26-10-2023 (AKITA) A 66-year-old man from Kita-Akita, Akita Prefecture, Japan, became the victim of a bear attack last week, highlighting the growing concern of bear encounters in the region. In a phone interview on Tuesday, the man, who owns a confectionery shop, described the terrifying ordeal, stating, “The bear bit down on my head. I couldn’t do anything.” He believed he was facing certain death.
Currently, the man remains hospitalized, receiving treatment for his injuries. Local authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant as four more individuals fell victim to bear attacks in the prefecture on Tuesday.
According to the man’s account, he spotted the bear shortly after 11 a.m. on October 19. When he opened the garage door in his backyard, he discovered the bear inside, only two meters away. Recounting the encounter, he said, “He was facing forward, and our eyes met. The bear was at least one meter tall. I thought I didn’t stand a chance and immediately started to run away. But after running for about 10 meters, I got knocked down.”
The man fell with the right side of his body exposed, and the bear pounced on him. “It was growling horribly and bit my head with its fangs. I couldn’t do anything,” he recalled.
The attack lasted for a brief moment, and the man managed to escape into his studio. Using a towel, he stemmed the bleeding and alerted the police. Upon examining himself in a mirror, he noticed a portion of his scalp protruding and a visible patch of skull, approximately 10 centimeters square.
Emergency medical services airlifted him to a hospital in Akita City, where he continues to receive medical care. His injuries include numerous scratches on his back, right arm, and the right side of his torso, with deep wounds on his face.
Earlier on the same day, two women were attacked by a bear while out on a walk in the city at 6:40 a.m. Additionally, a high school girl fell victim to a bear attack around 7 a.m. at a bus station only 800 meters north of the initial incident. It is believed that the same bear was responsible for this series of attacks.
The man stated that he is always cautious of bears when venturing deep into the mountains for fishing. However, on this occasion, he had no opportunity to retrieve the hunting knife or repellent spray he kept at home.
“I never thought I would be attacked by a bear in my own backyard,” he expressed.
Bears were also sighted in downtown Akita City on Tuesday. Akita-Higashi Police Station reported that three bears, likely a parent bear and two cubs, were observed on a street approximately 500 meters east of Akita University at 7:10 a.m.
