A Japanese man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering his 93-year-old father, whose death was initially believed to be a result of a bear attack.
Fujiyuki Shindo, 51, was taken into custody on Tuesday in Daisen for allegedly stabbing his father, Fujiyoshi, to death at their home on Monday afternoon, Akita police said, as per the BBC. Investigators reclassified the case as homicide after determining the victim's multiple wounds were consistent with a knife attack rather than an animal attack.
The victim's 80-year-old wife found him bleeding and collapsed in a first-floor bedroom shortly after 1 pm and called emergency services. He was rushed to the hospital but died from blood loss.
Authorities at first issued an emergency alert warning residents of a bear attack, but withdrew it after investigators concluded the wounds were caused by a knife. Several knives were recovered from the house, though the suspected murder weapon has not yet been identified.
Shindo, who lived with his parents, initially told police that he didn't notice anything unusual at the time, according to local media.
Police have not disclosed a motive for the killing.
Since July, Akita has recorded more than 650 bear sightings, nearly three times last year's figure for the same period. The scarcity of natural food sources is driving bears closer to humans. Poor harvests of acorns and beechnuts, which the animals rely on before hibernation, have left them hungry. As a result, they move into farmland, orchards, and towns to search for food. In many cases, they raid abandoned crops and fruit trees, making human settlements an easy source of nutrition.
Rural depopulation has worsened the situation. Akita's shrinking villages leave fields untended and neighbourhoods sparsely populated. With fewer people to deter wildlife, bears enter homes, barns, and schools more frequently. Reports show that encounters now happen in areas that were once considered safe.
Across Japan, bear-related dangers continue to rise. Last year, bears attacked 219 people and killed six, Japan's Environment Ministry said, as per CBC News. This summer, several prefectures declared emergencies after fatal incidents.
