Key Facts
• July 31, 11:00 PM: A 73-year-old woman found injured outside a group home.
• Incident occurred at “Group Home Tsutsuji” in Kitaakita City, Akita Prefecture.
• Surveillance footage shows a bear, approximately 1 meter in size, attacking the woman.
• The woman was carrying a trash bag to a collection site 15 meters from the facility.
• She suffered severe facial injuries and was found unconscious.
• The bear fled into nearby bushes after the attack.
• The woman was transferred from a local hospital to another in Akita City.
• Bear droppings were found on the road near the facility.
• This marks the fourth bear-related injury in Akita Prefecture this year.
• The group home houses four residents with mild intellectual disabilities.
• The area is surrounded by forests, fields, and multiple welfare facilities.
• A similar bear attack injured a man in his 70s on July 21 in the same city.
• Authorities urge strict bear safety measures and heightened vigilance.
Summary
A 73-year-old woman was critically injured in a bear attack on July 31 outside “Group Home Tsutsuji” in Kitaakita City, Akita Prefecture. Surveillance footage captured the bear, approximately 1 meter in size, attacking the woman as she walked to a trash collection site. The bear fled into nearby bushes, and the woman was later hospitalized with severe facial injuries. Authorities confirmed this as the fourth bear-related injury in the prefecture this year. The group home, located in a forested area, houses four residents with mild intellectual disabilities. A similar attack occurred earlier in July, prompting officials to call for strict bear safety measures and public caution.
