Monkey scratches man in residential area of Shunan, Japan

A monkey scratched a man in Shunan, Yamaguchi Prefecture on the afternoon of October 13.

The 49-year-old was in his garden when a monkey that had been on the roof jumped at him and scratched his back.

He said the monkey had grabbed a stray kitten and thrown it into a pond, and he was scratched after he went to rescue it.

His injury was a roughly 10-centimeter scratch, described as minor.

The incident happened in a residential area near a busy road and places where children regularly pass, and police are patrolling nearby and warning residents.

Another monkey incident was reported in a Shunan residential area on October 8, when a woman’s clothing was pulled and torn.

Officials advise people not to provoke or feed monkeys, to avoid eye contact, and to leave the area calmly if they encounter one.