Overview
- A Russian man in his 30s suffered serious injuries to his face and arm in a bear attack near Mount Minokido in western Tokyo and was airlifted to a hospital.
- Police and local hunters are patrolling the area to find the bear.
- Officials closed part of a trail, urged hikers not to go alone or without noise-makers, and set traps including a capture cage in town.
- Okutama has logged about 40 bear sightings since April, and nearby Hinohara and Hachioji have also reported more encounters.
- Japan confirmed a fatal attack earlier in May and is probing other suspected cases, while a 2025 surge led to military support in Akita and experts link the trend to growing bear numbers, food shifts, rural decline, and fewer hunters.