Tokyo, June 11: Bear attacks have left at least 27 people injured or dead across nine prefectures in Japan during the current fiscal year as of Wednesday noon, according to a tally by a public broadcaster.

According to the Ministry of the Environment, four of the victims were confirmed to have died after being attacked by bears.

By prefecture, Fukushima recorded the highest number of casualties with eight, followed by Akita with five, Iwate with four, Yamagata and Toyama with three each, and Tokyo, Niigata, Hokkaido, and Miyagi with one each, reports Xinhua news agency, quoting public broadcaster NHK.

Based on available information, at least 11 of the 27 victims were attacked within human living areas, including urban districts, farmland, and areas near their homes.

On June 2, four people were injured in a series of bear attacks in a neighbourhood of Fukushima City where businesses and residences are located.

On Tuesday, an elderly woman in her 80s in Yurihonjo City, Akita Prefecture, fell and suffered injuries to her arm and other areas after coming face-to-face with a bear in front of her home. The same day, a woman was attacked by a bear at a shrine parking lot in a mountainous area of Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture, sustaining injuries to her face and shoulder.

In addition, at least nine people, including three of those who died, are believed to have been attacked while visiting forests or mountainous areas to gather wild edible plants.

Meanwhile, more bear sightings have been recorded in urban areas, raising public concern. On Tuesday, a roughly 100 kg bear was cornered and tranquilised following four days of repeated sightings in Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture, north of Tokyo, prompting the temporary closure of all 94 municipal elementary and junior high schools. Another bear was captured Wednesday night near Amanohashidate, a famous scenic spot in Kyoto Prefecture, according to Kyodo News.

To help prevent bear attacks, the Ministry of the Environment urges people to carry radios or bear bells, travel in groups rather than alone, deliberately make loud noises in areas with poor visibility, avoid leaving food waste or other attractants that may draw bears, and check the latest bear sighting information issued by local governments.

Washington, June 9: US President Donald Trump said that Iran was willing to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons and sign an agreement with the United States, as he claimed American military operations had severely weakened Tehran’s military capabilities.

Speaking during a virtual tele-rally for South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham ahead of Tuesday’s Republican primary, Trump devoted much of his remarks to Iran, ongoing negotiations and the broader security situation in the Middle East.

“We’re negotiating now and they wanna make a very good deal. They’re willing to give us everything. They’re willing to give us no nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and it’s as simple as that.”

Trump claimed US military action had inflicted extensive damage on Iran’s military infrastructure.

“We’ve decimated their military. We’ve decimated their, everything there is to decimate, including their leadership,” he said. “Their navy is totally gone. They had 159 ships. Every ship is underwater right now.”

The President predicted a favourable outcome from negotiations and said a formal declaration of victory could come soon.

“I think we are winning that battle, but you’re really gonna win it over the next two weeks when we declare total victory,” Trump said. “It’ll be a total victory. It’ll happen very soon and oil prices will come tumbling down.”

The remarks came as Trump urged Republican voters in South Carolina to support Graham, a longtime ally who has been one of the Senate’s most vocal advocates of a hard line towards Iran.

“And Lindsey has been fighting with me all the way, all the way for that,” Trump said. “We’ve been a very tough team.”

Trump also praised Graham’s role on border security, military spending and conservative judicial appointments.

“I’ve known Senator Lindsey Graham for many years and he’s always been a tireless advocate for the people of South Carolina,” Trump said.

The President described Graham as having his “complete and total endorsement” and urged voters to support him in Tuesday’s Republican primary.

Trump also endorsed South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, calling her “an America first patriot” and predicting she would become a successful governor.

Jerusalem, June 8: US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone on Sunday after Iran fired missile barrages at Israel in response to airstrikes in Beirut, Israel’s state-owned Kan TV news reported.

Neither Netanyahu’s nor Trump’s office immediately commented on the call.

Before the call, Trump told Israel’s Channel 12 News that he would tell Netanyahu not to strike back because he did not want US-Iran ceasefire negotiations to collapse, Xinhua news agency reported.

“What I would suggest to Iran: You’ve shot your missiles, that’s enough,” Trump told Fox News. “Get back to the table and make a deal.”

Trump also claimed that Washington and Tehran had been close to reaching an agreement before Iran launched the missiles earlier in the day.

“We’re very close. I would say an agreement would be signed on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday of this coming week. And now this takes place,” he said.

“It’s certainly not going to help negotiations,” Trump said.

In another interview with US media outlet Axios, Trump said he will call Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and press him not to retaliate for Iran’s missile attack.

“I am going to call Bibi right now and tell him not to retaliate. Each of them had their fun. Israel had its strike, and Iran had its strike. We don’t need another one,” Trump said.

According to CNN, Iran fired at least 10 ballistic missiles toward Israel in at least three separate waves on Sunday. The Israeli military said all of the missiles were intercepted.

Two Israeli sources cited by CNN said Israel would deliver a “powerful” response to the attack, raising concerns about further escalation in the region.

The Israeli military said Sunday night that Iran has so far fired four missile barrages towards the country.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. The missiles have triggered sirens across northern Israel.