Two people attacked by bear in Niigata

Monday 06th October, 12:56 PM JST

NIIGATA —

A bear attacked two people on Sunday morning in Minami-Uonuma City, Niigata Prefecture. The victims suffered severe injuries to their head and face, police said Monday.

According to police, the bear attacked Hatsui Toda, 75, around 6:40 a.m. when she was collecting nuts in the forest. About 20 minutes later, Kazumasa Ishida, 68, was also attacked by what is believed to have been the same bear on a road about 2 km from the forest.

Police said the bear is about 1.6 meters tall. Local hunter groups have been mobilized to find the bear.

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Latest 15 of 36 Total Comments Show All

josebove at 10:05 PM JST - 6th October

Nessie--from what I've read in Niigata, it's an average year for nuts, not like 2 years ago when the beech nut shortage brought bears down out of the mountains just before hibernation, causing all kinds of problems. I don't know what the situation up in Hokkaido is this year.
Sarge at 10:33 PM JST - 6th October

Nessie - So far you've just been lucky. If you stay in Hokkaido, eventually you're going to get eaten by a bear. Why do you think there's so few people up there? Nyuk nyuk nyuk!
OssanULTRA at 10:49 PM JST - 6th October

Well, that's the end of that bear and very soon its whole species will >be gone the way of the dodo.

Bears aren't an endangered species in Japan, or many other places for that matter. Gold medal for conclusion jumping.
spudman at 10:57 PM JST - 6th October

ossanULTRA: where do you get your opinions from? in your sleep most likely. try this for some facts http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/life/endangered-species/dn12904-more-bear-species-threatened-with-extinction.html
Nessie at 11:40 PM JST - 6th October

Thanks, Jose. If you don't see me posting this winter, it'll answer our question about the nut situation in Hokkaido. ;)

As for endangerment, it's my understanding the brown bears up here in Hokkaido are protected, but not threatened or endangered -- actually increasing in population.
dreamdrifter at 11:47 PM JST - 6th October

According to spudman's link most of the bears on the list are classified as "vulnerable" or "least concern", and the only species classified as "endangered" is the giant panda.
kjunluc2 at 12:08 AM JST - 7th October

Stuffed bears are generally docile if stuffed with cotton. Those stuffed with humans obviously are not. Try not to become the stuff of bears.
kjunluc2 at 12:21 AM JST - 7th October

If you bear-baiting in the forest you will eventually become scat. That ain't phat.
OssanULTRA at 01:48 AM JST - 7th October

About 3000 bears are legally shot in Japan annually where they are often considered a pest. Unlike the crane, Japanese Macqaque, river otter and eagle, neither black bears or brown bears are listed as endangered in Japan. Those who actually believe black bears are endangered are usually the ones that either have polar bears (which actually are arguably endangered) confused with black bears, or are toting the line used by the anti-poaching crowd, which I am also personally against.
zaichik at 02:01 AM JST - 7th October

9 years in Niigata and I had no idea there were bears there. Probably because I never went to raid their larder :-) I always said the countryside was dangerous....

Jose, whereabouts in Niigata are you?
Nessie at 08:16 AM JST - 7th October

Those who actually believe black bears are endangered are usually the ones that either have polar bears (which actually are arguably endangered) confused with black bears, or are toting the line used by the anti-poaching crowd, which I am also personally against.

So you're pro-poaching, Ossan?
cleo at 09:44 AM JST - 7th October

Whether black bears as a whole are endangered or not is a different topic. This bear who had his nuts tampered with is endangered - as is probably any other living creature, 4-legged or 2-legged, that wanders into the wood while the intrepid 'local hunter groups' are enjoying their pot-shot party.
kjunluc2 at 12:26 AM JST - 8th October

You gotta be nuts to mess with a bear's nuts.
Osakadaz at 09:44 AM JST - 8th October

apparently bear have been spotted in Sanda,near Kobe in the last week.Hikers beware.
OssanULTRA at 07:00 AM JST - 9th October

Those who actually believe black bears are endangered are usually the >ones that either have polar bears (which actually are arguably >endangered) confused with black bears, or are toting the line used by >the anti-poaching crowd, which I am also personally against.

So you're pro-poaching, Ossan?

No I am against the poaching. I don't know any legitimate hunter who isn't.