Bear raids kitchen in northern Japan amid rising fatal attacks

A family in northern Japan contacted police after discovering a bear inside their kitchen, an incident that highlights a disturbing increase in bear intrusions and fatal attacks across the country. The bear had apparently opened the family's refrigerator and overturned a trash can in its search for food.

This event comes as Japan grapples with an alarming surge in attacks by bears, known as "plantigrades." Since April 1, at least five people have died in such encounters. This follows a record 13 fatal attacks nationwide in the previous year, according to the Ministry of Environment. The police in Iwate Prefecture received the report from the family on Monday evening.

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opened the refrigerator, scattering its contents

Local officials noted that the bear left behind footprints suggesting it exited through a back door connected to the kitchen. The incident occurred in Shizukuishi town, where at least four other households have reported bear intrusions since July 5. This pattern of increased bear activity in residential areas has become more common since bears emerged from hibernation.

Scientists suggest that the bear population has grown significantly in recent years, coinciding with a decrease in the human population in rural areas. An abundance of food sources, including acorns, deer, and wild boar, coupled with a warming climate, is believed to be contributing to the bears' thriving condition and their increased venturing into urban and suburban environments. In June, a bear that wandered into Utsunomiya, north of Tokyo, required a large-scale operation involving police, hunters, and municipal officials to capture, leading to widespread school closures.

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left the premises through a back door adjoining the kitchen and also rummaged through a trash can in search of food waste