JUST IN: A bear was captured in Japan after two days of forced closure of a hundred schools | International
Latest Developments:
Global attention remains focused on this evolving story as officials and analysts assess the broader implications.
A bear whose presence in the city of Utsunomiya, in northern Japan, had forced almost a hundred schools to be closed for the last two days was captured this Tuesday, according to the public television channel NHK. The animal was discovered in the bushes of a house in the town, in a densely populated area near a train station. A group of municipal employees and local hunters managed to shoot three tranquilizer darts at the animal, according to NHK. The search for the bear had forced the authorities to keep 94 primary and secondary schools closed as a precaution since Monday, while sightings were continually recorded, although without incident. A man participated in the search for the bear, in Utsunomiya. Kim Kyung-Hoon (REUTERS) The animal appeared for the first time in Utsunomiya – with around half a million inhabitants – on June 6, and since then it has not stopped being seen in different parts of the town, with almost a dozen sightings alone since this morning.The incident adds to the search that is being carried out in the city of Fukushima (northeast of Japan), after another bear injured four people in the area.Three police officers who participated in the search for the bear.Kim Kyung-Hoon (REUTERS)Four dead in 2026So far this year, four deaths have already been recorded due to bear attacks in Japan, according to data from the authorities, in addition to several sightings and incidents. In the 12 months prior to last March, the archipelago recorded record numbers of sightings: more than 50,000. In that period there were 13 deaths caused by bear attacks, to which another 238 injuries must be added.
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Officials and international observers are expected to continue monitoring the story closely over the coming days.
Observers believe further developments could significantly shape the direction of this story in the near future.
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Source: This article was originally published by Internacional en EL PAÍS and adapted for our international English-speaking audience.
Read the original article here.