The city of half-a-million residents about 100 km (60 miles) north of Tokyo said the bear was first seen in a residential area near a park on Saturday evening. It remains at large after the last sighting early Monday morning about half a kilometer from a middle school.
Bear attacks, including in urban areas, have been on the rise in Japan, prompting the government to set up a task force this year to reduce casualties.
A bear walks on the premises of an office in Fukushima, Japan, June 2, 2026. Photo by AP
Last week, a bear attack in the northeastern city of Fukushima left at least four people injured. Security footage from Fukushima Steel Works shows a black bear chasing a worker by the entrance of the factory and throwing him to the ground.
Asiatic black bears are listed as a vulnerable species globally, but their numbers are estimated to have tripled in Japan since 2012, helped by a decline in hunting.
