Elderly woman dies after suspected bear attack in central Japan

TOKYO: An elderly woman died after a suspected bear attack in the city of Toyama in central Japan on the Sea of Japan coast, local media reported on Wednesday.

Local police found the woman collapsed face down on the premises of a house at around 9:40 p.m. local time on Tuesday, with cuts on her head and face apparently caused by an animal attack, public broadcaster NHK said.

According to the police, a male resident of the house reported on Tuesday night that his wife had been missing since late in the afternoon, and police officers searched the area.

The police believed the victim was the wife of the resident and were trying to confirm her identity.

The site was located approximately 10 km south of the city center in an area dotted with houses.

A bear had been spotted in the area earlier the same day and it remains at large, the police added.

The local hunting association and others patrolled the area after the incident, but no bears have been found.

-Xinhua