Aomori, May 30, 2026 (News On Japan) - A series of false bear sighting reports posted to an online alert system operated by Aomori Prefecture has disrupted schools, prompted a police investigation, and raised concerns about the growing impact of misinformation on public safety.
The incidents involved Aomori's bear sighting information platform, known as "Kuma Log," which allows residents to report and view bear sightings across the prefecture. Authorities say the system, which relies on public cooperation, was flooded with fabricated reports on May 19th.
Among the false submissions were claims that brown bears had begun fighting on railway tracks and that as many as 300 bears had been spotted in a single location. According to the prefecture, between 30 and 35 suspicious reports were submitted that day. The posts have since been removed.
Governor Soichiro Miyashita later revealed on social media that some of the false reports were made by high school students within the prefecture.
Although many of the reports appeared obviously fictitious, officials were required to investigate them. The false alerts triggered precautionary measures in parts of Aomori City, where schools took steps to protect students because some reported locations were near educational facilities.
According to prefectural officials, several elementary schools arranged for parents to accompany children during their commutes to and from school as a safety precaution.
The following day, on May 20th, the prefecture asked schools throughout Aomori to remind students not to submit false information online.
Officials responsible for Kuma Log said the platform is based on the goodwill of residents and warned that false reports can significantly affect daily life and potentially endanger public safety.
The prefecture also disclosed that multiple individuals may have been involved in the hoax. Relevant data has been provided to police, and authorities said they intend to take firm action against malicious activity.
The incident has renewed concerns about misinformation related to wildlife sightings. In recent years, AI-generated images and videos depicting unrealistic interactions with bears have circulated online, prompting warnings that such content could encourage dangerous misconceptions about wild animals.
One notable case occurred in November 2025, when the town of Onagawa in Miyagi Prefecture mistakenly used an AI-generated bear image in an official social media warning. Authorities later discovered that both the image and the reported sighting were false. The town subsequently issued an apology, concluding that the individual who provided the information had acted without malicious intent.
Legal experts say the situation in Aomori could carry more serious consequences if false reports were submitted deliberately.
Attorney Masaki Kamei of Kamei-Wake Law Office said intentionally spreading false information that interferes with the operations of public institutions could constitute obstruction of business through deceptive means under Japanese law.
The offense carries penalties of up to three years in prison or fines of up to 500,000 yen. Kamei noted that criminal liability may apply even if no actual disruption occurs, provided authorities determine there was a substantial risk of interference.
Following the incident, Aomori Prefecture revised the Kuma Log system by requiring users to provide contact information, including a telephone number, before submitting reports.
Officials say that while mistaken sightings still occur, the malicious posts that flooded the system in May have not reappeared since the changes were introduced.
The case highlights the challenges facing local governments as they seek to maintain reliable public warning systems while combating the spread of online misinformation.
Source: FNN
