Japan steps up bear safety measures after recent attacks

The drill, held in a mountainous area on Monday, was carried out jointly by local police and the hunters’ club. Officers demonstrated techniques for deterring bears, including the use of fireworks, as part of efforts to improve preparedness. The exercise follows a series of incidents, including the death of a 52-year-old newspaper deliveryman in Fukushima on 12 July. DNA tests confirmed the same brown bear was responsible for a second deadly attack on a woman in her 70s four years earlier. In Akita Prefecture, over 650 sightings have been reported since the start of July, nearly triple the figure from the same period last year.