Growing concerns for missing man amid bear hunt

• A hunter is missing in Hokkaido, Japan, following a suspected bear attack, with bloodstains and a rifle found at the scene.
• This incident occurred shortly after Hokkaido authorities issued a top-level brown bear alert due to increased sightings and fatal attacks.
• The alert followed the discovery of a 52-year-old deliveryman's body with wounds consistent with a bear attack days before.
• Bear sightings have surged across Japan, attributed to fluctuating food sources for bears and the declining population in rural areas.
• In response to the rise in attacks, Japan's parliament has passed a revised law permitting "emergency shootings" of dangerous animals entering populated areas.

IN FULL

Warnings issued after Japanese man vanishes during bear hunt