TOKYO (AP) — Authorities in a Japanese city located north of Tokyo successfully tranquilized a roaming bear on Tuesday, ending several days of widespread fear that forced the closure of educational institutions throughout the area.
The animal was initially observed on Saturday close to a park in Utsunomiya, which houses approximately 500,000 residents north of Tokyo.
Local authorities reported receiving numerous bear sighting calls over the subsequent days, with the creature appearing near educational facilities, a library, and a community center. These incidents prompted officials to shut down all municipal schools on both Monday and Tuesday.
Through social media platforms and mobile announcement vehicles, the municipality issued safety advisories instructing residents to seek refuge in buildings and cars when encountering bears, while emphasizing the importance of securing doors and windows and avoiding nighttime garbage disposal.
“On Tuesday afternoon, the bear was found on a private property and shot by a veterinarian with a tranquilizer gun,” city official Ryuhei Irie said. “Nobody was injured.”
Municipal workers deployed drone technology on Tuesday to locate the animal after it appeared earlier that day on a university campus, resulting in the cancellation of all academic sessions.
“Officials believe there was only one bear but that they are investigating to be safe,” Irie said.
This incident in Utsunomiya represents another instance of Japan’s expanding bear population moving into regions experiencing demographic decline and aging.
Just last week, a separate bear incident in Fukushima, located in northeastern Japan, resulted in four people sustaining moderate injuries during an attack in a residential neighborhood.
Government estimates from March place Japan’s total bear population at approximately 57,800. Authorities have implemented a management strategy that includes organized culling programs.
