Ultra-marathon runner suffers severe injuries in Myoko bear attack amid rising Japan incidents

Billy Halloran, a 32-year-old ultramarathon runner living in Japan, survived a brutal attack by an Asiatic black bear during a run in the Myoko foothills. The bear snapped his arm, which was held together only by his raincoat, and then attacked his calf muscle before bizarrely retreating. Halloran, who had never previously encountered a bear despite years of running in the region, chose to scare the animal by making himself large and loud rather than running, which he feared would provoke a chase. Despite severe injuries including a shattered arm and punctured calf, he managed to call his wife and reach an ambulance after a kilometer of travel. This incident highlights the rising frequency of bear attacks in Japan, with over 100 injuries and seven deaths recorded this year, the highest since 2006. Halloran has undergone multiple surgeries, including a hip graft, and is recovering in hospital.