A woman who came to see the autumn foliage in Kumobaike, a popular tourist spot in Karuizawa, Nagano prefecture, was attacked by a bear and injured around 1.30 p.m. on Thursday, police said.
The 60-year-old Gunma resident was in a group of three and walking at the back when the bear came out from bushes to the side of the path and attacked her, scratching her and leaving her back slightly injured. An eye-witness said the bear was about 1 meter tall, and saw the bear jump into the pond and swim away after the attack.
Police and members of a local hunting club were unsuccessful in their search for the bear. Police and Karuizawa officials have issued a warning to residents and tourists.
© Wire reports
23 Comments
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dotherightthing
I am sure it was a cat.
cleo
GOOD
Pivot
And if the bear were a crazed aggressive type whose next target is a child or someone else just trying to enjoy a walk through the forest (and not a hunter)? I suppose cleo NEVER ever goes into anywhere with grass and trees cos they all belong to the bears.
Xeno23
Not to detract from this poor woman's frightening ordeal, but this does not sound like a crazed bear. This sounds like a rather small, surprised bear took one or a couple warding swipes, then scampered off. I'm from California where real bear attacks occur, and have lots of friends from Alaska who've known folks with Grizzly encounters. You do not get off from a bear attack with a few scratches and a hurt back; you're lucky if you come out alive.
You know you're in genuine bear country when you go into a general store, and can readily buy industrial strength bear repellent in a belt clip spray can, or folks are packing magnum revolvers just to go fishing...
rjd_jr
If there's one thing we can expect on a consistent basis in terms of news coming out Japan, on a weekly basis, it is either a bear attack or a suicide. Looks like too much human encroaching on bear territory.
techall
Why am I not surprised?
cleo
...the lady would not have walked away with no more than a few scratches. The bear was probably just as surprised as the lady.
The local hunting club should not be going after a bear guilty of nothing but just being a bear.
I go to lots of places where there are grass and trees, but I would not go into a forest in bear country without at least a couple of bear bells and a big stick.
joebud
go bears
techall
Cleo:
Do you how to tell if the bears in the area are dangerous? You check out the feces. Fecal matter from bears that aren't dangerous contains leaf and berry resedue, fecal matter from dangerous bears contain bells and gnawed sticks.
TokyoGas
Sounds like a juvenile bear as just 1 meter tall.
Himajin
LOL!!! Too funny!
Himajin
I know what you're saying Cleo, but techall's post was just too funny!
timorborder
The idea of ravenous bears is unnerving. The idea of old fxrts with weapons is scary. The bear was just being a bear. Having a lot of old men (and hunters in this country are generally older than god) run around with weapons is really scary.
cleo
Hima -
Yes, it was funny. Couldn't think of a good retort. Dang.
Score one to techall!
nandakandamanda
Is that 1 meter tall when walking on all fours? That could be a pretty large bear.
Nessie
Or a tanuki.
nisegaijin
Nice job bear!
ptolemy
Bears in forests, isn't that where they belong? Why blame a bear for being where they should be? Perhaps he was looking for hunters or others encroaching on its territory without permission, you know trespassing.
Deepinside
no traspassing,private property,,beware with the bear..all those signs where already there..
nidu
Itching--> I bet she requested the bear to do that.
nath
I bet the bear was just being playful.
It the bear had been serious... this article would have been much much shorter!
Elbuda Mexicano
I lov Karuizawa in the summer! I feel sorry for this old lady getting attacked by a bear. My family and I just went to this part of Nagano this summer and it is absolutely beautiful! Bears? Not too sure what to do but bring your bells and a good long walking stick.
taintus
Part of the blame is with the national forestry agency (rinyachou) that continues to use outdated forestry techniques based on maximizing timber production in a country that imports almost all of its wood. Landscape conversion from mixed to plantation forests is creating a decline in suitable habitat for bear and other wild animals.
In Otaki, the village where I live, monkeys and bears are increasingly becoming nuisances that are almost unmanageable.
With all do respect, timorborder's comment that old men with guns are more frightening than bears is woefully naive. The Japanese government needs to start thinking about effective forest management policies that involve rural communities. Instead the forestry agency just keeps mindlessly planting pine trees.
Read more at my blog: <a href="http://www.otakimura.blogspot.com">In the Pines</a> www.otakimura.blogspot.com.