Fatal brown bear attack on Mount Rausu; DNA testing planned

A 26-year-old Tokyo resident was found deceased on Mount Rausu in Hokkaido on Friday, a day after he was attacked and dragged into the forest by a brown bear on Thursday. Officials said a brown bear and two cubs were shot near the trail, and investigators will conduct DNA testing to confirm whether the animal was responsible for the death. The incident prompted authorities to close the Mount Rausu trails as search and rescue efforts continued and climbers were evacuated from the area.

The attack occurred Thursday morning as the man and a friend were descending from Mount Rausu, a popular peak in the Shiretoko Peninsula. The friend reported witnessing the victim fighting off the bear before it dragged him into dense brush. The friend, who was uninjured, alerted police, and a rescue operation began with helicopters evacuating hikers and personnel from the trails. By Friday afternoon, authorities had located a bloodstained shirt, a wallet, a hat and a watch near the scene, with blood traces found on the ground and on nearby trees. The body was found about 200 meters southwest of the original trail entrance and was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.