News Black Bear Shiwa 日詰, Iwate Apr 21, 2026

Description

On the morning of April 21, 2026, in a stream area of Shiwa Town, Iwate Prefecture, a male police officer searching for a missing person with hunting association members was attacked by a bear and was taken to hospital with bites to his face and arms. The bear that was killed was near the scene where the body of a missing woman was found; her body had multiple wounds and is believed to have been attacked by a bear.

Note: Official sources provide information in Japanese only. This description has been machine translated for your convenience.

Summary

As spring bears emerge earlier, on the morning of April 21 a police officer searching in a stream area of Shiwa Town, Iwate, was attacked and injured by a bear. The bear was later shot by hunters, and the body of a missing woman was found nearby with multiple wounds believed to be from a bear attack. Authorities note April fatalities from Asian black bears had not been recorded in the past decade, heightening concerns and warnings.

Bear Type

Black Bear

Number of Bears

1

Provider Type

News

Date & Time

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Address

Coordinates

39.555317, 141.168121

Sources