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Wild bears can be found in Japan — an old lady recently had an encounter with one in her backyard and escaped unscathed.

On May 15, Japan Today reported that a human head was found near a lake in Hokkaido.

Police are currently searching for an angler who went missing in the area, suspecting him to be a victim of a bear attack.

The incident

According to Japan Today, Toshihiro Nishikawa, a 54-year-old angler, was dropped off by a boat to fish alone at Lake Shumarinai in Horokanai, Hokkaido, in the early hours of May 14.

Later, an employee of the boat operator saw a bear nearby with waders dangling from its mouth.

Waders are long rubber boots used by anglers.

The employee attempted to call Nishikawa, but was unable to reach him.

Bear hunt operation

The town office later gave the green light for a bear hunt operation, reported Japan Today.

A town official shared that a member of the group killed a bear the day after. It is uncertain if this was the same bear previously spotted by the employee.

During the operation, a human head was discovered in the area.

However, the police have not yet determined whether it belongs to Nishikawa.

According to NHK, a search team comprised of hunters and fire service officers found human body parts on May 16, near the place where the man alighted from the boat.

Surge in bear sightings

Lake Shumarinai in Horokanai is located in northern Hokkaido.

Japan Today reported that the lake attracts anglers interested in catching Japanese smelt and trout, and Sakhalin taimen, a rarely caught fish in Japan, .

Hokkaido police said that bear sightings are increasing this year, reported NHK.

The police have received 339 reports as of May 11, 40 more than the same period last year.

In 2022, bears were spotted a record 2,240 times in Hokkaido.

Two people have been injured in bear attacks in 2023.

NHK shared that people who venture into the mountains to forage for edible wild plants often encounter bears from April to June.

The police urged members of the public to travel in groups and carry bells or other noisemakers to deter the bears.

In the event that they spot a bear, they are warned not to approach it and to call the police.

Image via T. SAGA/ Google Maps and Wikimedia Commons.