ISTANBUL

A man was attacked by a bear inside a public restroom near a train station in Gunma prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, early on Friday morning, according to police.

The 69-year-old security guard told authorities he saw the bear peering inside as he was about to leave the restroom near a train station, Kyodo News reported.

He suffered minor scratches on his right leg. After falling on his backside, the man fought back by kicking, which caused the bear, estimated to be 1 to 1.5 meters in length, to flee.

He then hurried to a nearby police box to report the attack.

Japan has experienced a rise in bear sightings and encounters, partly due to food shortages in their natural habitats.

Between April and October, there were 197 reported bear attack victims, approaching the annual record of 219 cases recorded in fiscal 2023, according to preliminary figures from the Environment Ministry.