Japan City Captures Black Bear After Four-Day Hunt

A wild black bear that had been roaming the streets of Utsunomiya, Japan, for four days has finally been captured. The multi-day search effort involved helicopters, police, hunters, and city officials, keeping the city of half a million on edge.

Sightings of the bear, estimated to weigh around 100 kilograms (220 pounds), were reported near a library, a shopping arcade, a university campus, and a market. In response to the sightings, city officials closed all 94 public schools and advised residents to remain indoors. The animal was eventually located near a private home, cordoned off by police, and subdued with a tranquilizer gun before being loaded onto a truck.

This incident in Utsunomiya is not isolated. Further north, in Iwaki, a bear sighting also led to school suspensions. Last week, a black bear attack in Fukushima injured at least four people, with that bear still at large. These events are occurring against a backdrop of a significant increase in bear-related casualties in Japan.

Japan's government established a special task force this year due to a spike in bear attacks, which resulted in a record 13 deaths in 2025. The bear population is estimated at around 57,800, having reportedly tripled since 2012, partly due to a decline in hunting. Factors like climate change are also believed to be pushing bears to seek food in human-populated areas.

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The bear in Utsunomiya isn't the only one causing a stir in Japan.