Smartwatch GPS Data Reveals Japanese Hiker's Final Moments Before Fatal Bear Attack in Hokkaido

The bear attacked and killed the Japanese hiker near a popular trail in Hokkaido (Representative image).

Chilling final moments of a hiker in Hokkaido, Japan, who was fatally mauled by a bear in August, have been revealed through GPS data recovered from his smartwatch. The sophisticated device, which tracked routes via satellite signals and monitored vital signs, provided investigators with a harrowing timeline of the tragic incident.

According to a detailed report in the Japan Times, the victim's smartwatch data indicated that he had fallen down a forest slope near the Mount Rausu hiking trail at approximately 11 am local time.

"The data showed repeated circling movements in an area of dense brush," the report stated, suggesting that the man's final moments occurred approximately 100 to 130 meters away from the main trail, marking the location where he succumbed to injuries sustained during the bear attack.

Following the man's death, the smartwatch remained stationary throughout the night before registering movement again the next morning around 9 am. GPS coordinates revealed the device was transported several hundred meters through thick vegetation, indicating that the bear had returned to relocate the victim's remains.

Three days after the initial attack, a search and rescue team made a grim discovery when they found the hiker's body being dragged by a female brown bear accompanied by her two cubs. Authorities made the decision to euthanize all three bears at the scene. Additional remains of the victim were discovered several meters from where the bears were killed.

The hiker's recovered remains were subsequently transported to the Shari Police Station in Hokkaido, where his parents formally identified him. Due to the severity of the injuries sustained during the attack, police recommended that the parents only view their son's face during identification.

Japan has witnessed an unprecedented rise in bear-related incidents in 2025, with a record 13 fatalities and over 200 injuries reported across the country. Alarmingly, sightings of bears near populated areas, including schools and supermarkets, have become increasingly common.