Japanese authorities confirmed Friday the first fatal bear attack of the year, with media reports saying police were also investigating two other possible cases.
The victim, reportedly a 55-year-old woman, died on April 21 in Iwate prefecture in northern Japan, an environment ministry official said.
Media reports said police were investigating two other deaths potentially caused by bears. One body was discovered elsewhere in the Iwate region on Thursday and another in a forest in Yamagata prefecture on Tuesday.
Police confirmed to AFP that two people had died but could not immediately verify other details. Last year, Japan saw a spate of deadly bear attacks, with a record 13 people killed.
