Japan’s deadliest surge in bear attacks is gripping the nation. Upgrade to watch the full report.
Sunagawa, Japan
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Haruo Ikegami starts each day at dawn.
Just as sunlight interrupts the darkness over his small Hokkaido city, the 76-year-old pulls on his rain boots and dons a bright orange jacket. This is his uniform, he tells me.
After grabbing his walkie talkies, he trudges across his frosted garden and climbs into a green van, adorned with stickers reading “on bear patrol.” His vehicle is instantly recognizable here. Along the drive, neighbors call out, asking about recent sightings.
Ikegami is somewhat of a local hero in this rural…
