Japan bear incidents injure hunter in Nagano and damage soybean field in Hokkaido

In a forest near Nagano City, members of a local hunting club entered the woods to remove a bear that had become trapped. A 55‑year‑old male club member fired a rifle at the bear, and the shot struck an 81‑year‑old fellow member standing nearby. The elderly man was taken to hospital with a shoulder wound. Police said the bear, about one metre long, was subsequently killed.

In Mori‑cho, Hokkaido, a bear ripped through a soybean field, destroying roughly an 8 × 7‑metre area. Multiple footprints about 13 cm wide were found near the damage. Police have warned residents to stay alert, although no further sightings have been reported.