Police end the search on Mount Rausu Shari Town, Hokkaido, August 15.
On August 15, Hokkaido police and search teams found a man who had gone missing after being attacked by a brown bear while climbing Mount Rausu in Shiretoko.
The police confirmed the deceased as Keisuke Sota, a 26-year-old office worker from Mukojima, Sumida Ward, Tokyo. Three brown bears — a mother and her two cubs — that had dragged the body were culled by hunters. The Hokkaido Research Organization will conduct DNA testing to determine which bear attacked Sota.
Cause of Death
The body was discovered on a mountainside about 200 meters (656 feet) southwest of the trail where the attack occurred. Multiple bite and scratch marks indicated a bear attack, and the cause of death was determined to be blood loss from multiple traumatic injuries.
Between the attack site and the location where the body was found, police discovered a wallet containing a card with Sota's name. A bloodstained shirt, torn pants, shoes, and a backpack were also scattered nearby. Bloodstains were found on the surrounding trees and ground, with some on the trees showing signs of dragging.
Sota had entered the mountain with a friend around 5 AM on August 14. He was attacked near an elevation of 550 meters (1,804 feet) and dragged into the forest, after which he went missing.
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(Read the article in Japanese.)
Author: The Sankei Shimbun
