A woman has been killed in an apparent bear attack while picking wild bamboo shoots in the mountains of northern Japan.

The body of Masako Oishi, 61, a nursing assistant, was reportedly found with gashes to the back of her head in a mountainous forest in Akita prefecture, which is known to be populated by bears.

The incident comes just weeks after local police issued warnings to residents living in remote mountainous areas of northern Japan to look out for bears.

Leaflets were reportedly circulated to warn locals of bear attacks in rural areas of both Akita and neighbouring Aomori Prefecture, advising residents not to enter forests where bears have been spotted foraging for mountain vegetables.