Overview

• Police in Miyagi said a woman was confirmed dead and another person was missing after four mushroom pickers were caught in an incident on a mountain.
• Investigators are still determining the cause of death, though NHK reported police believe a bear attacked the woman based on her injuries.
• Separately, the Asahi Shimbun reported a 78-year-old man was found dead in Nagano with multiple claw marks, and police think he was killed by a bear.
• The Environment Ministry now counts seven bear-attack deaths this fiscal year, surpassing last year’s total of six, according to The Japan News.
• Japan eased gun rules last month to let hunters use rifles in built-up areas, as recent data show increased encounters and injuries, including 69 injuries and five deaths between April and August reported by NHK.