HOKKAIDO, Nov 11 (News On Japan) - A series of bear encounters across Japan is causing growing alarm, with several prefectures reporting aggressive behavior and issuing emergency shooting orders. In one incident last week in Hokkaido, a bear charged at a car and growled as it pursued the vehicle, forcing the driver to reverse to escape, with claw marks later found on the hood.
On November 10th, bear sightings were reported in several regions. In Omachi Onsenkyo, Nagano Prefecture, a hotel worker spotted a bear early in the morning, prompting a police patrol that located it up a tree. The 1.2-meter animal was tranquilized with a blow dart around 9:30 a.m. and captured safely.
In Tonami, Toyama Prefecture, a female bear about 1.3 meters long was found inside a barn on a residential property and refused to leave. Authorities issued an emergency shooting order at 8:05 a.m., and the bear was later killed with two rounds fired inside the structure. The homeowner said, "I thought the first sighting report was a mistake, but I never imagined it would come to my house. I'm glad it was dealt with quickly, otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to go outside."
A similar case occurred in Sakata, Yamagata Prefecture, where residents spotted a bear climbing a persimmon tree around 7 a.m. The city established a response headquarters and ordered an emergency shooting. Three bears believed to be a mother and cubs were killed after securing the area. No injuries or property damage were reported.
On November 9th, footprints were discovered inside the grounds of Maruyama Zoo in Sapporo, Hokkaido. The tracks, about 10 centimeters long, were found along a riverbank. In Aomori Prefecture, a ramen shop worker was attacked by a bear at around 4 a.m. while preparing to open the store. The man sustained facial injuries but was not in critical condition. “He was bleeding heavily from his nose; it was shocking,” the shop owner said.
In Ono Town, Gifu Prefecture, a bear roughly one meter long was seen wandering around a temple parking lot on November 7th. It stayed on the premises for about two and a half hours before returning to the mountains. No one was injured, but local hunting groups later set traps with fruit behind the temple to prevent further incidents.
In Tagajo, Miyagi Prefecture, multiple sightings were reported at the end of October. Police initially reviewed security footage showing what appeared to be a large cat, but a day later residents again reported movement in nearby bushes—later confirmed to have been caused by the wind. The series of reports highlights how heightened public anxiety over bears has made communities more sensitive to even minor signs of movement.
Source: FNN
