Bear that caused school closures in Japan is captured

The hunt for a black bear seen more than a dozen times in the Japanese city of Utsunomiya ended with the capture of the animal this Tuesday (9).

The bear sightings prompted city authorities to close all of Utsunomiya's 94 elementary and middle schools for the second day in a row.

Aerial footage showed hunters tranquilizing the bear with a dart gun before loading it into a truck and driving away.

Bear attacks, including in urban areas, have increased in Japan, prompting the government to create a task force this year to reduce the number of victims.

In fiscal year 2025, the country recorded a record 238 victims, including 13 deaths, according to the Ministry of the Environment.

Last week, a bear attack in the northeastern city of Fukushima left at least four people injured.

Security footage from the Fukushima Steel Plant showed an Asian black bear chasing a worker at the factory entrance and knocking him to the ground.

According to Japanese media reports, the bear also injured another worker in his 60s in the same complex and a woman in her 80s in the neighborhood.

Subsequently, the animal entered the premises of another factory and attacked an employee aged around 60.

Bear chases and attacks people in Japan, leaving four injured | CNN NEW DAY

Source: CNN