Bountiful beech nuts eyed for fall in Japan areas hit by bear attacks

AKITA, Japan - Four northeastern Japan prefectures are forecast to have a bountiful supply of beech nuts this fall, the primary food source for bears, local forest authorities said Tuesday, after the region saw a surge in bear attacks last year when the harvest was lean.

In the forecast based on visual surveys of beech trees flowering in five prefectures between April and June, the prefectures of Akita, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata are projected to have a "bountiful" harvest, while Aomori is expected to have an "average" yield.