Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1780630311652mana5280-rGPDLlMNFF4-unsplash.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Photo by mana5280 on Unsplash</span></span></span></div><p>An &quot;extremely intelligent&quot; bear that injured four people in northern Japan remains at large as of Friday, after apparently unlatching a window while evading capture and turning on a water tap, officials said.</p><p>A record 13 people were killed by bears in Japan last year, and there has been a jump in sightings as the animals emerge hungry from hibernation.</p><p>After attacking four people at two factories in Fukushima on Tuesday, the bear took shelter inside one of the buildings, local media reported.</p><p>It dodged capture despite efforts by hunters and responders equipped with traps and anaesthetic guns, and escaped late Wednesday.</p><p>The bear remains at large as of Friday morning, a Fukushima official told AFP.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F2534130253682520%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Fukushima city mayor Yuki Baba told reporters Thursday that evidence suggested the animal &quot;unlocked the window on its own&quot; to flee, adding that claw marks had been found near the exit.</p><p>It is also believed the bear &quot;turned on the water tap&quot; to drink, he added, describing it as &quot;extremely intelligent&quot;.</p><p>&quot;With the cooperation of hunters, police and firefighters, I believe we took all possible measures available to us&quot; to catch it, Baba said.</p><p>&quot;That we failed to achieve our goal despite our best efforts is extremely regrettable,&quot; he said.</p><p>In the last fiscal year to March, bear sightings nationwide topped 50,000, more than double the previous record set two years earlier, according to official data.</p><p>The animals were seen entering homes, roaming near schools and rampaging through supermarkets and hot spring resorts on an almost daily basis.</p><p>Bears are thriving thanks in part to an abundance of food -- including acorns, deer and boars -- under the influence of a warming climate, experts say.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>MORE STORIES ON JAPAN:</strong></div><div><strong></strong><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/business/08/07/17/never-too-old-to-code-meet-japans-82-year-old-app-maker">Never too old to code: Meet Japan&#x27;s 82-year-old app-maker</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/5/28/japan-philippines-to-discuss-intelligence-sharing-takaichi-2045?fbclid=IwY2xjawSGPCpleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFobkNmVkY5THFYWldrdktFc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhPI8UFwef2QSi5hJiaP-g2huqwuW37CVLs_Do5pDchioJGfHzEc_y8H7_Tk_aem_bAGG24bh1H1OIfulb1Awtw">Japan, PH agree to protect classified military information, fast track warships transfer</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/4/30/japan-to-trial-ai-scheme-for-spotting-bears-as-attacks-on-humans-rise-947">Japan to trial AI scheme for spotting bears as attacks on humans rise</a> <strong></strong></div>

<p>An "extremely intelligent" bear that injured four people in northern Japan remains at large as of Friday, after apparently unlatching a window while evading capture and turning on a water tap, officials said.</p>

An "extremely intelligent" bear that injured four people in northern Japan remains at large as of Friday, after apparently unlatching a window while evading capture and turning on a water tap, officials said.

'Extremely intelligent' bear at large in Japan after hurting four

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'Extremely intelligent' bear at large in Japan after hurting four

Agence France-Presse

Published June 05, 2026 11:35 AM PHT

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