An apparent bear attack occurred at Semi Onsen in Kitakami City, Iwate Prefecture, Japan. A male cleaner went missing while cleaning an outdoor hot spring bath, and the next day police and hunters found and shot a black bear about 100 meters from the site in a mountainous area. Nearby, they discovered a man's body, initially believed to be the missing hot spring employee. The incident has shocked the local community and once again raised alarms in Japanese society over the frequent appearance of bears.
According to Japanese media reports, shortly after 11 a.m. on the 16th, Semi Onsen in Wagacho, Kitakami City reported that a 60-year-old employee, Katsumi Sasazaki, suddenly disappeared while cleaning the open-air bath area. Responding police found multiple bloodstains, a pair of glasses, and cleaning tools strewn about the scene. There was also blood on the fence between the hot spring and the river, leading authorities to suspect Sasazaki was attacked and dragged away by a bear.
On the morning of the 17th at 8 a.m., police launched a mountain search. After 9 a.m., rescuers found and shot an Asian black bear in the mountains about 100 meters from the hot spring, and subsequently discovered a man's body near where the bear had been sighted. The body's appearance matched that of the missing Mr. Sasazaki, and police are confirming the identity through DNA analysis.
Alarmingly, another man was killed by a bear on the 8th of this month in a forest only about 2 kilometers from the site. Police suspect the same bear or the same group of bears may be responsible for both attacks.
Takayoshi Yamauchi, Associate Professor at Iwate University's Faculty of Agriculture, commented: “It is extremely rare for consecutive attacks on people to occur in such close proximity in a short period; it’s possible the bear has begun to view humans as prey.” He urged residents and tourists to keep windows and doors closed tightly, even during daylight hours, and to avoid approaching mountain or river areas.