Japanese Hiker Missing After Bear Attack in Hokkaido Found Dead

First Fatal Bear Attack in the Area in 63 Years

A man in his twenties was killed in a bear attack while hiking in Hokkaido, Japan.

According to the Asahi Shimbun and other Japanese media on the 17th, the body of Keisuke Soda (26), who went missing after being attacked by a bear while descending Mount Rausu in Shiretoko, Hokkaido with a friend, has been found. On the morning of the 14th, Soda was hiking with a friend when the bear attack occurred. At the time, Soda was walking about 200 meters ahead of his friend on the trail when he suddenly screamed loudly and collapsed. His friend, who was following behind, rushed to help, but the bear bit Soda’s thigh and dragged him into the forest.

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The friend reported the incident to the police at around 11:10 a.m. Rescue teams later discovered blood-stained personal belongings, including a shirt, wristwatch, and wallet, in the bushes beside the trail at an altitude of about 550 meters early the next morning. At around 3:20 p.m. the same day, Soda's body was found nearby. His body was covered in wounds, and his lower body was reported to be severely damaged. The cause of death was determined to be excessive bleeding due to multiple traumatic injuries across the body.

There were numerous signs of bear activity at the search site, raising concerns for the safety of the rescue teams. Authorities shot three bears-one adult and two cubs-during the search. DNA testing is underway to determine whether any of these bears were responsible for the attack on Soda.

It has been reported that bear sightings have increased in the area recently. On the 10th, a 68-year-old hiker encountered one adult bear and two cubs and fled. On the 13th, officials from the Ministry of the Environment, the Shiretoko Foundation, and local authorities conducted a field survey but were unable to locate the bears. At that time, experts advised, "Hikers should always carry bear-repellent spray."

First Fatal Bear Attack in the Area in 63 Years

This is the first fatal bear attack in the Shiretoko mountain area in 63 years. In response, authorities immediately closed the hiking trails, issued warnings to residents and tourists, and are restricting access to the surrounding area to prevent further incidents.

Meanwhile, another fatal bear attack occurred in Hokkaido last month. On July 12, a male newspaper delivery worker (52) was killed in Fukushima Town in southern Hokkaido. A witness stated, "When I opened the front door, I saw a bear attacking a person right in front of me." This was the first fatal bear attack in an urban area of Hokkaido since 2006. The bear, estimated to be a male about 208 cm long, weighing 218 kg, and 8 to 9 years old, was shot and killed on July 18.