According to the fire department and other sources, at around 10:30 a.m. on August 22, an emergency call was made reporting that a foreign man had been attacked by a bear near an observation deck on the shore of Lake Towada.

The man was bitten on his right arm and was bleeding. He was airlifted to a hospital in Hachinohe City. He was conscious and able to speak while being transported.

According to a man who works at a guesthouse at the foot of the observation deck, a tourist found the foreign man covered in blood after the bear attack and drove him to the guesthouse to seek help. The guesthouse then called emergency services.

S/ Guesthouse worker:
“He came up to us saying, ‘Bear, bear.’ When I saw that he was covered in blood, I called emergency services.”

According to Towada City, a local hunters’ association later set up two box traps near the scene. The city also plans to put up signs warning people about bears.