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New Zealand Runner Survives Myoko Bear Mauling During Japan's Bear Surge

Officials have announced tougher controls after experts linked a poor beech‑nut harvest to increased bear encounters.

Halloran has been in the local hospital since his attack, and hopes to be discharged by late October.
Halloran’s injuries required three surgeries, including a hip bone graft and the insertion of plates in his arm.
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Billy Halloran being transported to the hospital on October 4 after being attacked by a bear in Myoko, Japan.

Overview

  • Billy Halloran, 32, encountered two Asiatic black bears in the Myoko foothills, and one lunged after he tried to back away.
  • The bite shattered his right arm in three places and punctured his calf, leaving what he described as a 'fully snapped' arm.
  • He called his wife and ran about 1 km to meet an ambulance before being taken to Joetsu Hospital for treatment.
  • He has had three surgeries, including a four-hour hip bone graft with metal plates, has begun hand rehab, and faces months of recovery with a possible late-October discharge.
  • Japan has recorded more than 100 injuries and at least seven deaths this year, prompting tougher bear-control measures as experts cite poor beech-nut yields drawing bears into towns.