AI Fake Bear Image Prompts Safety Alerts in Miyagi Town

Nov 27, 2025 | News On Japan

MIYAGI, Nov 27, 2025 (News On Japan) - Onagawa in Miyagi Prefecture issued a warning on social media after receiving what was believed to be a photo of a bear spotted in town, but the image was later revealed to be a fake created with generative AI.

The photo showed a large bear walking along a road in the Ogawa district on November 25th, submitted to the town office by a resident who claimed to have taken it. The metal cover visible in the photo appeared bent, prompting concern, but when officials inspected the location they found the cover perfectly intact. Onagawa posted the image on its official SNS accounts to alert residents, only to be informed later by the same resident that the picture had been created using AI.

A nearby nursery school temporarily stopped allowing children to play outside, and the town broadcast warnings through its disaster-prevention loudspeaker system in response to the supposed sighting.

A resident living near the mountains said they had been genuinely alarmed, noting that “I really wondered what to do, and when I heard it was a fake created like this, I felt anger rising inside me.”

Onagawa stated it will strengthen its verification procedures, including checking the authenticity of submitted information, and will work to ensure accurate communication going forward.

Source: 日テレNEWS

Man Arrested Over Six Suspicious Fires in Tokyo

A 58-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of setting fire to a home in Tokyo's Adachi Ward on September 4, injuring an 81-year-old woman, as police investigate whether he was involved in six suspicious fires reported in the area over about two weeks.

Koreeda's 'Look Back' Wins 12-Minute Venice Ovation

Hirokazu Koreeda's "Look Back" received more than 12 minutes of applause following its official screening at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival in Italy.

First Hearing Held for Return of Ainu Remains

The first hearing in a lawsuit seeking the return of 279 sets of Ainu ancestral remains from the Japanese government was held on September 4, marking the first time an Ainu group has taken the state to court over the return of human remains.

Yokohama Mayor Resigns Over Power Harassment Allegations

Yokohama Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka resigned on September 7 after the city assembly unanimously approved his request to step down over allegations of workplace power harassment, setting the stage for a mayoral election in October.

Typhoon No. 24 Nears Minami-Daito Before Weakening Into Tropical Depression

Typhoon No. 24 (Krovahn) was near Minami-Daito Island, about 300 kilometers southeast of Okinawa, as of 3 a.m. on September 7, moving east-northeast at about 10 kilometers per hour and expected to weaken into a tropical depression by the afternoon, although strong winds and high waves were forecast to persist before its remnants move north and potentially intensify the autumn rain front over western and eastern Japan later in the week.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Web3 NEWS

Isuzu Begins Full Development of Second-Generation AI Truck

Isuzu Motors has begun full-scale development of a second-generation "AI truck" capable of making driving decisions on its own, as Japan's largest commercial vehicle maker by domestic market share aims to introduce Level 4 autonomous driving in fiscal 2027 to help address a worsening shortage of truck drivers.

Marugame Seimen Introduces President AI

Toridoll Holdings, the operator of Marugame Seimen, has introduced an artificial intelligence system trained on the thinking and speaking style of President Takaya Awata, giving employees a way to consult a virtual version of the company's founder as the restaurant group expands to around 1,200 locations in Japan and overseas.

Hitachi Turns to AI to Ease Labor Shortages

Hitachi is stepping up the use of digital technology, autonomous robots and physical AI to address Japan's growing labor shortage, showcasing systems designed to automate factory work and maintain critical infrastructure at one of the group's largest technology exhibitions.

Nvidia-Backed Japanese Startup Pushes Ahead in Physical AI

Japanese startup Enactic is developing physical AI technology that combines artificial intelligence with robotic hardware, earning recognition from Nvidia while pursuing an unusual open-development strategy that makes its technology available to the public.

SoftBank-Backed AI Power Firm Files for IPO

SB Energy, a U.S. power infrastructure company for artificial intelligence backed by SoftBank Group, said on September 1 that it has filed for an initial public offering on the Nasdaq stock market with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Proxy Security Best Practices Every User Should Know

When it comes to your proxy server, you should treat it as you would any security endpoint. If your proxy credentials are leaked, someone else can use your traffic, burn your IP reputation, or even gain access to your scraping infrastructure.

Inconvenient Convenience Store Gives Lessons in AI

Meta has opened an interactive event in Tokyo's Shibuya district that deliberately makes convenience-store shopping difficult, using the unusual setting to demonstrate how artificial intelligence could make everyday tasks easier.

Five Japanese Companies Launch Physical AI Data Collection Center

Major pharmaceutical company Tsumura and four other companies began full-scale operations on August 26 at a joint data collection center designed to develop "physical AI," technology that enables artificial intelligence to autonomously control robots in manufacturing and other workplaces.

< 2 3 4 5 >