A bear injures 4 people in a residential area of Japan as attacks rise
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Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share TOKYO (AP) — A bear injured four people in a Japanese residential area on Tuesday in the latest attack in an area of the country where the animals have increasingly encroached on the human population in recent years. Japan’s Environment Ministry said a record 13 people were killed in more than 230 attacks by bears in 2025. Police and fire department officials rushed to the Sasakino district of Fukushima in northeastern Japan after receiving an emergency call from the Fukushima Steel Works reporting bear attacks on two employees. Security camera footage shows a black bear appearing and chasing an employee near the entrance. As the man in his 20s tries to flee, the bear throws him to the ground.
It then moves into the compound and injures a second male employee in his 60s. The bear later injured a third person, a male employee in his 60s at separate company. A woman in her 80s who lives in the neighborhood also was attacked and injured, the Fukushima City Fire Department said. The three men sustained minor injuries and the woman had moderate injuries but none were considered life-threatening, the fire department said. The bear had not been caught as of Tuesday afternoon and was believed to be inside the second company compound, which was surrounded by uniformed police carrying long sticks. Two nearby schools were closed, including Noda Elementary School, which held classes online and put a warning on its website to “avoid non-essential outings and stay safe.” Read More The bear attack has rekindled last year’s nationwide fear that led to Japan’s army being dispatched to the northern prefecture of Akita where more than 60 people were attacked by bears, with four killed.
The encroachment by a growing bear population has occurred in a region with a rapidly aging and declining human population that has few people trained to hunt the animals, experts say. The Japanese government in March estimated the overall bear population at around 57,800. Officials have adopted a road map of bear population management, calling for systematic culling. Under the plan, the number of municipal bear control staff will triple to 2,500 within five years, while the number of bear traps will double. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy Bear sightings were reported recently in Tokyo’s western suburbs, including the hiking area of Okutama.
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