Japanese police announced that an elderly man initially thought to have been killed by a bear was actually murdered by his son. Fujiyuki Shindo, 51, was arrested in the northern Akita prefecture on Tuesday for allegedly murdering his 93-year-old father, Fujiyoshi.
The investigation began after the victim’s wife discovered him collapsed and bleeding. Authorities had initially issued a warning about a bear attack, which was later retracted when evidence indicated that the injuries were more characteristic of knife wounds.
The family resided in an area where bear sightings have become increasingly prevalent, likely due to an aging population and diminishing farmland pushing wildlife closer to urban settings. Although Mr. Shindo initially stated that he noticed nothing unusual at home, investigators have since collected multiple knives from the residence to determine the specific murder weapon. No motive for the alleged crime has been disclosed.
Bears were initially suspected in Fujiyoshi Shindo’s death due to a notable rise in bear attacks in Japan, with a record 219 people reported attacked in the year leading up to March 2024, including six fatalities, according to the Environment Ministry. This trend has coincided with individual incidents, such as the recent death of a newspaper deliveryman from a bear attack in a residential area.
In response to increasing bear encounters, regional authorities have adjusted hunting regulations, allowing for more flexibility in hunting practices. Consequently, thousands of bears have been trapped and killed by hunters in the area.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62n5gv72j5o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss