Japan bear attacks increase, prompting medical warnings

A rise in bear attacks across Japan has prompted medical experts to issue safety advice. In Akita Prefecture, which has seen the highest number of incidents, emergency physician Hajime Nakae of Akita University Hospital reports a surge in severe injuries. Nakae, who has treated over 100 bear-related trauma cases, notes that bears often target the face. He advises individuals to adopt a defensive posture to protect their face and head if an encounter occurs.

Recent cases highlight the severity of these attacks. In one instance, a man in his 70s suffered extensive facial tissue loss, requiring multiple reconstructive surgeries and long-term psychiatric care for trauma. In another recent incident in Shimokitayama Village, Nara Prefecture, a man in his 60s was bitten on the face, arms, and thigh while performing civil engineering work in a forest. While he was transported to a hospital with bleeding, his injuries were not life-threatening.

Medical professionals emphasize that treating bear trauma requires intensive, multi-disciplinary care involving emergency medicine, plastic surgery, otolaryngology, and ophthalmology to manage infection risks and reconstruct damaged tissue.