News Black Bear Shiwa, Iwate Apr 20, 2026, 10:00 AM

Description

In Shiwa Town (Yamaya), Iwate Prefecture, at around 19:00 on April 20, a man in his 30s who was a member of the local volunteer fire brigade was attacked by a bear while searching for a missing person (no injuries). The next day at the same site, a 56-year-old police officer was seriously injured with bites to his face and arms, and a woman's body possibly attacked by a bear was found nearby.

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

Summary

In Shiwa Town, Iwate Prefecture, a volunteer firefighter was attacked by a bear on April 20 while searching for a missing person, and the next day a police officer was seriously bitten at the same site. With multiple bear sightings this month, the town has declared a state of emergency and urged heightened vigilance.

Bear Type

Black Bear

Number of Bears

1

Provider Type

News

Date & Time

Monday, April 20, 2026 at 10:00 AM

Address

Coordinates

39.581054, 141.283934

Sources