Oct 07 (AP) - Three bears that snuck into a tatami mat factory in northern Japan and holed up inside for nearly a day have been captured, town officials say.
A patrolling town official spotted the bears, believed to be a parent and two cubs, as they walked into a tatami factory on Wednesday morning in Misato, a town in northern Akita prefecture, where there has been a growing number of reported bear attacks in or near residential areas.
An owner of the tatami factory said he saw the bears walking outside, but never thought they would come inside.
Town officials and police officers rushed to the site, each wearing a helmet and carrying a shield, and kept watch. Local hunters used fire crackers to try to scare the intruders out, without success. They later set up a pair of cages at the entrance of the tatami factory and waited overnight. ...continue reading
