Experts say bears have become less afraid of humans due to a decline in hunters, and the ‘easy availability of prey’ has drawn some out of hibernation early.
Prior to this year, no fatal bear attacks were reported in Japan for more than a decade. Now, police in the country are investigating what's thought to be at least the fifth.
Japanese officials found the body of a missing student alongside the corpse of a brown bear that likely killed him. The bear is also suspected of attacking several other people in the area.