Japan: 94 Schools Close in Utsunomiya City After Bear Sightings

The Japanese city of Utsunomiya, located north of Tokyo, has closed all 94 of its public primary and middle schools. This unprecedented measure comes after more than ten bear sightings were reported starting Saturday. Some of these sightings occurred disturbingly close to residents, including near a shopping center.

A municipal official told Agence France-Presse that the city deployed vehicles to areas where bears were spotted. These vehicles are intended to warn citizens and urge them to remain in their homes or vehicles. Dozens of hunters, police officers, and local employees are actively searching for the bear or bears.

Utsunomiya, a city of approximately half a million people, is situated 100 kilometers north of the Japanese capital. Officials emphasized that this marks the first time a bear has been observed in a residential area of the city, specifically near a park on Saturday afternoon. In recent years, bears have increasingly appeared in urban areas across Japan, leading to a rise in attacks. Last year alone, 13 people were killed by bears foraging for food near settlements.

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The city has sent vehicles to spots where a bear was spotted, in order to warn citizens and ask them to stay in homes or vehicles.