Former wrestling referee Sasazaki dies after bear attack in Iwate

A former professional wrestling referee, Katsumi Sasazaki, 60, was found dead after a suspected bear attack at a hot spring inn in Kitakami, Iwate Prefecture, officials said. Sasazaki went missing early Thursday while cleaning an outdoor bath at the Semi Onsen facility along the Getogawa River, and his body was discovered the following day in a wooded area across the river, local police said.

Police officers who first responded to the inn found bloodstains, animal fur and several of Sasazaki's personal items, including his glasses, slippers and cleaning tools, at the outdoor bath area, according to investigators. An initial rescue effort was suspended after roughly 30 minutes because of adverse weather, authorities said. When search teams resumed operations the next day, they located a body believed to be Sasazaki's about 50 meters northwest of the inn on the opposite bank of the river.

Searchers also encountered an adult male Asiatic black bear near the site, officials said. The animal, measured at about 1.5 meters tall, was shot and killed by the response team. Authorities have identified the bear as the animal believed to have attacked Sasazaki, and they have said they are...