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‘Extremely Intelligent’ Bear at Large in Japan After Hurting Four
Local schools kept children home as officials tracked the bear after surveillance video showed it attacking a man and injuring four people.
- A bear that injured four people in Fukushima, Japan, escaped from the Oki Sympho-Tech factory Wednesday night, city officials confirmed Thursday. Authorities believe the animal unlatched a window to flee.
- The rampage began Tuesday at Fukushima Steel Works in Sasakino, where the bear attacked two employees. It then struck one person at a nearby residence and another at Oki Sympho-Tech, injuring four total.
- Fukushima Mayor Yuki Baba noted the bear's apparent intelligence, citing reports the animal placed its front paws on a faucet to drink water. Officials had attempted capture using four box traps and a tranquilizer, though the dart failed.
- Local schools switched to online classes following the incident as a drone search began Thursday afternoon. Students are scheduled to return to in-person attendance on Friday, June 5, 2026.
- Rising bear populations in Japan saw 13 deaths from such attacks in 2025, according to preliminary Environment Ministry data. These increasingly frequent encounters remain a concern for authorities across the island nation.
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Rocambolesca escape for the Fukushima bear; after having injured four people, the plantigrade managed to escape capture by opening a window and overcoming the safety barriers of the factory where it had been confined
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In Fukushima Prefecture an operation is carried out, where the police, local hunters and drones try to locate a bear about a meter long that has been described by the authorities as "extremely intelligent." The animal, which already injured four people, managed to evade all police fences by demonstrating alarming cognitive skills, such as opening windows with bolts and operating water taps. The attack streak began last Wednesday, when security c…
Coverage Details
Total News Sources20
Leaning Left2Leaning Right6Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution46% Right
Bias Distribution
- 46% of the sources lean Right
46% Right
15%
C 39%
R 46%
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