Four people were injured in bear attacks at an office and nearby residences in
Sasakino, Fukushima City, Fukushima prefecture early on June 2. Japan has seen a
rise in bear attacks: Ministry of the Environment preliminary data show 238
people were attacked nationwide between early April last year and the end of
March, with 13 fatalities—both record highs. Government estimates put
populations at more than 19,000 Asian black bears in the Tohoku region and
11,600 brown bears in Hokkaido.
