A Spanish tourist was attacked by a bear cub on Sunday morning during his visit to the scenic mountain village of Shirakawa in central Japan, according to the local government.
The 40-year-old man sustained a minor injury to his right arm. He was walking with another Spanish man at about 8.30am when they came across a small bear emerging from the grass near a shuttle bus stop in the village, part of which is a World Heritage site.
According to the municipal government, the bear, which fled the scene, was about one metre (three feet) in length and was believed to be a cub, The Mainichi reported.
“At this time of year, nuts and other food sources are available near human settlements, so the bear may have come to feed on them,” a representative from the village’s industrial division told the newspaper.
The local government has closed walkways leading to an observatory overlooking the site known as Shirakawa-go, with police and hunters searching for the cub. This is the first human injury caused by a bear in the village since 2014.
The Shirakawa-go in Gifu prefecture is a popular tourist spot known for a cluster of traditional thatched-roof homes.
A bear is caught on hidden camera near Shibecha town in Japan. Photo: Town of Shibecha /AFP
AloJapan.com