Two sets of human remains were recovered in northern Japan in early May in incidents investigators say were likely bear attacks. On May 7, 69-year-old Kumagai Chiyoko was found in Hachimantai, Iwate Prefecture, with injuries consistent with claw marks. A separate body was recovered in Yamagata on May 5, and officials confirmed a prior April fatality was the first bear attack death of 2026. Experts point to rising bear numbers, abandoned farmland and demographic shifts as factors increasing human-bear encounters.
Two Bodies Recovered in Suspected Bear Attacks as Encounters Rise in Northern Japan
Black bear (stock)Credit: Getty
Authorities in northern Japan have recovered two sets of human remains in incidents investigators say are likely bear attacks, underscoring growing concerns about human-bear interactions near rural settlements.
What Happened
On Thursday, May 7, rescue teams and police in Hachimantai City, Iwate Prefecture, discovered the body of a missing woman lying on the forest floor with severe injuries to her face and head consistent with claw marks. The victim was identified as Kumagai Chiyoko, 69, who had entered the mountain forest the day before to pick edible wild plants and was reported missing when she did not return.
Iwate Prefecture in JapanCredit: getty
Separately, authorities reported that a body was recovered in Yamagata Prefecture on Tuesday, May 5. Officials also confirmed that the death of a 55-year-old woman reported last month had been the first confirmed fatal bear attack of 2026.
Related Incidents
These discoveries follow an April 21 incident in Shiwa, Iwate Prefecture, when a police officer searching for a missing person was attacked by a female bear. The officer sustained arm and facial injuries but remained conscious; hunters later shot and killed the bear, and investigators found the body of a woman nearby that has since been confirmed as a bear attack fatality.
Bear spray (stock)Credit: getty
Context and Causes
Japan recorded a record 13 fatal bear attacks nationwide in 2025, up from five the previous year. The Ministry of the Environment notes that brown bears are native to Hokkaido, while Asiatic black bears inhabit Honshu (including parts of Iwate) and portions of Shikoku.
"I'm not sure yet why we're seeing this kind of unprecedented damage so early in the spring," said Kohi Yamazaki, head of the Ibaraki Nature Museum, in an interview with AFP. "Given that all the incidents have occurred relatively close to settlements and the bodies have been severely damaged, I suspect a bear has eaten them."
Yamazaki and other experts say bear numbers in the Tohoku region have increased over roughly two decades, and that factors such as abandoned farmland, unused land, depopulation and an aging rural population may be bringing bears and people into closer contact.
Advice and Ongoing Investigation
Authorities urge residents and visitors to avoid entering known bear habitats alone, make noise while walking to alert wildlife, carry bear deterrents where recommended, and familiarize themselves with official guidance on how to behave if a bear is encountered. An Iwate Prefectural Police representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment from PEOPLE as of May 10; investigations into the recent incidents remain ongoing.
These events have prompted renewed warnings from local officials and wildlife experts about increased bear activity in spring and the need for greater awareness and preventive measures in affected communities.
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