Hiroshima, May 15, 2026 (News On Japan) - Spring bear sightings are continuing across Japan, with wild bears increasingly appearing in residential neighborhoods and urban districts, including incidents involving damaged property and close encounters with residents.
Security camera footage captured in a quiet residential area of Hiroshima on the morning of May 13th showed what appeared to be a black bear wandering through a parking area lined with cars.
A cat hiding beneath a vehicle could also be seen remaining alert, apparently frightened by the animal's presence.
Local residents expressed shock and anxiety, saying they had never expected bears to appear so close to home.
A television crew later visited Odate, where bear sightings have surged in recent weeks. Authorities said there had already been 25 reported sightings in May alone, most of them occurring near urban areas.
At around 5:30 p.m. on May 8th, a bear entered a commercial facility and slammed into an ATM area, shattering a glass entrance door.
Four separate security cameras near the shopping complex captured the bear running throughout the city.
One video showed the bear suddenly appearing in front of an approaching vehicle, narrowly avoiding a head-on collision before hurrying into a nearby company property as another vehicle approached from behind.
Another camera captured the bear slowly walking along a road before entering a parking lot belonging to another business. The animal briefly disappeared behind a building before suddenly sprinting across the parking area at full speed.
The bear later emerged near a factory building, peeking out from between structures before moving toward the road again.
As a black vehicle approached, the bear made a wide turn and fled the premises.
Authorities believe the bear then headed toward the entrance of the commercial facility, where it later damaged the ATM entrance.
Following the repeated sightings, nearby daycare center Odate Hoteya Daini Kodomoen has stepped up safety precautions.
Staff members now carry bear spray not only during outdoor walks but also while children are playing in the schoolyard.
Teacher Yu Ishitoya said staff also carry electronic whistles to quickly gather employees and evacuate children if necessary.
Parents of children attending the daycare expressed concern, saying they worry about unexpectedly encountering bears even during routine activities such as taking out the garbage.
In April, a bear also appeared in Hachioji, surprising residents unaccustomed to seeing bears within the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Residents said they never imagined bears would appear in Hachioji and had made no preparations for such encounters.
As fears over bears increasingly become part of daily life, newly obtained footage showed a terrifying close-range encounter during a mountain hike in central Japan on May 10th.
Two men climbing a mountain suddenly found themselves face-to-face with a bear.
One of the hikers shouted loudly and rang bells in an attempt to scare the animal away, but the bear continued advancing toward them.
The distance between the men and the bear narrowed to roughly 10 meters before one of the hikers discharged bear spray.
Only after being sprayed did the bear finally retreat into the mountains.
The hiker later recalled that the bear appeared to be over one meter in size and warned that there would have been nowhere to escape had it charged directly toward them.
He urged people entering the mountains to always remain aware that bears could appear at any moment.
Source: FNN
