That's published in Asahi Shimbun, one of the largest newspapers in Japan, which I went to read this morning because I wanted to see how much Japanese people were enjoying the excellence of Shohei Ohtani in our World Series. But nothing about Ohtani is in the top 10 most-read stories over there. I had to scroll down the front page to find his name, and it was tucked away in the sports section, just the AP report, here.
Nearly dead people eating popsicles got more attention. It was the second-most-read article. Meanwhile, the top of the front page is dominated by Trump:
Which one of those things is not like the others? Abe, yes. But also "Bear roams central Morioka, fatal attacks elsewhere."
At around 7:30 a.m., a bear was reported inside the underground parking lot of the main branch of the Bank of Iwate Ltd. in Morioka, the capital of Iwate Prefecture.... The sighting was particularly alarming, as it occurred near the Morioka Castle ruins site, a major tourist attraction.... A bear was also sighted about 2 kilometers southeast of Iwate Bank's main branch.... These incidents came one day after a suspected fatal bear attack in Ichinoseki, also in Iwate Prefecture.... The body bore claw and bite marks consistent with a bear attack.... His pet dog was also found dead nearby. In the afternoon, a bear appeared near the dog's remains, and the local hunters' association killed it.... At around 11 a.m. on the same day in neighboring Akita Prefecture, a resident in Akita city discovered the body of a woman lying in a drainage ditch by a rice field.... [T]he victim suffered severe injuries to her upper torso.... Amid the surge in bear attacks, Akita Governor Kenta Suzuki visited the Defense Ministry in Tokyo on Oct. 28 and requested the assistance of the Self-Defense Forces.... “This is truly an abnormal situation," Suzuki said. "The manpower within the prefecture is no longer sufficient to respond."
What is going on with bears in Japan? A brief effort at research suggests that the problem is a shortage of beech nuts. Maybe Grok is pulling my leg, but I'm told there's a saying 「ブナの実が不作だと、クマが里に下りてくる」 (Buna no mi ga fusaku da to, kuma ga sato ni orite kuru) — "When beech nuts fail, bears come down to the villages."
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29 comments:
Ah, you've done it again !
The bear no longer shits in the woods. I blame Trump.
The thing about Japanese sweets is the weird flavors.
"For your last popsicle, would you like green tea, red beans, or the kind that tastes like Lysol?"
"Lysol, please. Domo Arigato."
The juxtaposition of the Abe killer article next to the photo of Trump and Takaichi is intriguing.
Buna no mi ga fusaku da to, kuma ga sato ni orite kuru... everyone knows this.
1. Japan is a settled and domesticated culture with urban gardens, and where people treat wild nature as alien. They consider Hokkaido (the big island up north) to be extremely far away and an adventure to visit, yet the entire country is roughly the size of California.
2. The Japanese are old and not producing many children, whereby many fading towns and villages resemble the USA rust belt. There aren't that many people in some formerly big settlements.
3. Morioka is in the relatively unpopulated north end of the main island of Honshu, and many places in that area are indeed rural and fairly wild. The vast majority of Japan's population lives between Tokyo and the Nagasaki on the south side of Honshu and the north edge of Kyushu.
Wife and I are cruising Japan and South Korea from Nov. 3-14, and I spent 3 weeks in July with 2 teenage grandkids in Japan. Highly recommended, a high-trust society!
I need a watch trip to Tokyo and Osaka
I don't like grizz but the others in the US are no cause for alarm. Regular precautions for wildlife are sufficient. I have no idea about grumpy bears in Japan. Hangry is a problem if they see people as a tasty snack.
“ The vast majority of Japan's population lives between Tokyo and the Nagasaki on the south side of Honshu and the north edge of Kyushu.”
Everyone in Japan knows that if you nuke the bear, it only makes him stronger.
Beauty and the beast.
“GariGarikun ice pop, a surprise hit among the terminally ill.”
The next JPop hit will be called GariGarikun Style, and will feature a guest appearance by Korean rapper Psy.
Bears in Japan belong to two species, the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) and the Ezo brown bear (Ursus articos lasiotis). The Asiatic black bear is related to our American black bear and displays similar habits and similar behaviors toward humans, i.e. usually tolerant but occasionally dangerous, particularly regarding cubs. Japanese black bears range across Honshu, and occasionally venture into the suburbs of major cities were silly people offer them treats, including popsicles. The Ezo bowns are a different story, however. As a group, they are smaller than their close American kin, the grizzly and the Kodiak, but they are nevertheless extremely formidable, and humans are historically on the menu.
I remember reading an article about bears becoming a growing problem in Japan. Here it is:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c19kvevezlwo
The hunters in the article are afraid to shoot at them:
"But hunters are wary. "It is scary and quite dangerous to encounter a bear. It is never guaranteed that we can kill a bear by shooting," said Satoshi Saito, executive director of the Hokkaido Hunters' Association.
"If we miss the vital point to stop the bear from moving... it will run away and may attack other people," he added. "If it then attacks a person, who will be responsible for that?"
The lady eating ice cream and then giving a BJ is supposed to be a special treat, according to a legal thriller I just finished. A lady who gets her way with sexual favors all over, in the plot. Mostly with politicians.
Soon to be translated into Japanese.
Even the highlights of last night's game were still over 30 minutes long! Incredible.
"But hunters are wary. "It is scary and quite dangerous to encounter a bear. It is never guaranteed that we can kill a bear by shooting," said Satoshi Saito, executive director of the Hokkaido Hunters' Association.
I was surprised and pleased to find out that there is a rapidly growing culture of hunting and firearms in Japan. Naturally it is extremely tightly regulated, but with the right paperwork it is possible to obtain a shotgun or a bolt-action rifle. More importantly, unlike overcrowded England, one can readily find a place to use weapons in Japan's rural hinterlands. Outside the densely populated cities, Japan has large tracts of unspoiled wild country, especially on Hokkaido.
If you can find Boli popsicles from Helados Mexico in your local Hispanic grocery, you won't be disappointed. Especially the coconut and "rompope" (eggnog-ish) flavors.
Gemini AI Says: The MLB official YouTube highlight video for Game 3 of the 2025 World Series, played on October 27, 2025, between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers, is 33 minutes and 20 seconds long.
found 'em rompope
“ Bear roams central Morioka, fatal attacks elsewhere."
Mayor Bear roams Chicago, fatal attacks everywhere.
Ok Howard, I laughed
The article goes on to say that the Japanese Self Defense Forces, i.e. the army, were called in to deal with the bear. What the heck, is this a Gamera/Godzilla/Mothra sized bruin? If so, well good luck.
YouTube: 'Nearly dead people eating popsicles'
"Abe's Successor"? But Mamdani's father says Abe inspired Hitler ...
https://www.offthepress.com/professor-father-of-ny-mayoral-frontrunner-mamdani-claim-hitler-inspired-by-abe-lincoln/
So I guess this week we can expect a lot of AI memes of Trump fighting the Japanese bear?
Japan is home to two species of bear. Its northernmost island, Hokkaido, has bone bears hat are a subspecies of the Siberian brown bear — like the American grizzly but bigger. The other islands have the Asiaric sun bear, a distant relative of the American black bear. If you see one in a zoo they look pretty cute, with black fur except for a yellow patch shaped like a quarter moon just below their throat. Sun bears are smaller than brown bears, but supposedly more aggressive towards humans than their American black bear cousins.
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