A black bear attacked four people in Fukushima City, Japan, on June 2, 2026, injuring them, authorities said [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7].

The first incidents occurred early in the morning around 6:30 a.m. when the bear attacked two male employees, one in his 20s and another over 60, at a steel manufacturing or casting factory in the city [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7].

Afterward, the bear fled to a nearby residential area where it attacked two more people in separate incidents: an elderly woman in her 80s and a man in his 60s [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. All four were conscious after the attacks and transported to hospital, with the elderly woman sustaining more serious injuries, including facial fractures [2, 3, 4, 5].

In response, local elementary and middle schools in the vicinity closed temporarily from June 2 to 4 to ensure safety [2, 8, 9, 10].

Authorities managed to trap the bear inside a factory or office building later on June 2. Capture efforts included using tranquilizer guns and traps [11, 8, 9, 10, 12]. Despite these efforts, police witnessed the bear escape on the evening of June 3 by unlatching and opening a locked window [11, 8, 9, 10, 12]. It even opened a water tap to drink while hiding, demonstrating unusual intelligence for a wild animal [11, 8, 9, 10, 12].

The bear was described as large, about the size of a big dog, and extremely cunning [11, 4, 8, 9, 10, 12]. Fukushima City Mayor Yuki Baba said, "We took all possible measures, but this is a very smart bear that can open window locks. While we cannot say we were helpless, it is regretful we did not succeed. However, we did not neglect our duties" [10]. He also noted the bear's escape through a window and use of a water tap as signs of its intelligence [11].

As of June 5, the bear remains at large with ongoing search efforts including patrols and drone surveillance [11, 8, 10, 12]. Residents expressed unease, with one elderly man saying, "Before the bear is caught, it's hard to feel safe; now we keep our doors locked and try to travel by car" [8]. An elderly woman said walking to the hospital is frightening and hoped the bear would be caught soon [8].

Authorities are considering issuing an emergency declaration to allow hunting and possible shooting of the bear to protect local residents [1, 2, 4, 6].

The attacks come amid a surge in bear activity in northern Japan during post-hibernation season, with nationwide sightings doubling to over 50,000 in the last fiscal year ending March 2026 [11, 3, 5, 6, 12]. A suspected bear attack in nearby Akita City also killed a 73-year-old woman around June 2 [3, 5].