TOKYO - A string of bear sightings and suspected attacks in western Tokyo is prompting urgent action from local authorities, with schools in Hachioji preparing students for possible encounters and concerns mounting that animals once associated with remote mountain regions are moving deeper into populated areas.
In Hachioji, where a mother bear and cub were spotted, nearby junior high schools urgently distributed bear bells to students, while one school carried out emergency drills simulating a bear entering the campus. Human injuries have also been reported in Okutama, raising concerns over how far the animals are expanding into populated areas.
The issue has spread nationwide in recent weeks. A bear remained in a tree for around an hour at a park in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, on May 23rd, while another sighting on May 17th occurred directly beside a soccer ground where junior high school students were practicing. In Aomori City, a bear was even seen entering a commercial complex in the city center and wandering through a parking lot.
Tokyo has not been spared. In Hachioji, roughly 6 kilometers west of JR Hachioji Station, a sensor camera mounted on a utility pole captured footage of a bear walking through a residential neighborhood late at night. The area is surrounded by homes and schools, despite being close to wooded areas leading toward Mount Takao.
The hunter who installed the camera said he originally set it up to monitor wildlife activity because bear sightings had seemed unusually scarce this year.
"I knew bears lived in the mountains around Takao, but I never imagined they would come this far into town," he said.
On May 17th, another sighting involving what appeared to be a mother bear and cub occurred about 5 kilometers away in the same city. Images captured by a camera showed two dark figures moving together through dense vegetation.
The discovery alarmed local residents, particularly farmers who work daily in nearby fields. Authorities have since responded by installing bear traps and increasing patrols.
Nearby schools have also stepped up precautions. In one junior high school in Hachioji, students were seen attaching newly distributed bear bells to their bags after the city provided them as an emergency measure.
The school also replaced a scheduled earthquake drill with an emergency exercise preparing students for a possible bear intrusion. During the drill, students created barricades using desks and chairs and practiced remaining quiet to avoid provoking the animal.
Students admitted they were uneasy about how they would react during a real encounter.
"We've been told not to turn our backs and to move away calmly, but I don't know if I could actually stay calm if I suddenly faced a bear," one student said.
The growing number of sightings has already resulted in injuries. In Okutama on May 17th, a Russian man believed to be in his 30s was seriously injured after being attacked by a bear while hiking in the mountains.
Two days later, a body missing its upper half was discovered around 7 kilometers from the attack site. Investigators found animal tracks and signs suggesting the remains may have been damaged by a large wild animal. Police are investigating the possibility that a bear was involved.
Experts say factors such as shrinking natural food supplies, changes in habitat, and expanding overlap between wildlife and residential areas may be contributing to the increase in encounters, with concern growing that sightings could continue spreading deeper into urban areas around Tokyo.
Previously: Travelers Urged to Prepare as Bear Sightings Surge
Source: YOMIURI
