Wild black bear captured in Japan after multi-day hunt through major city

Japanese authorities have captured a bear following a multi-day search that saw nearly 100 schools close.

The bear was first seen on Saturday evening in a residential part of Utsunomiya, a city of half a million people, about 60 miles (100km) north of Tokyo.

The adult bear, which has an estimated weight of about ​100kg (220lbs), was shot with a tranquilliser gun on Tuesday, loaded on to a cage on the back of a vehicle, and driven away.

The city has yet to decide what to do with the animal, an official said.

Sightings of the bear prompted the city to shut all of its 94 primary and middle schools this week as a precaution.

Authorities decided to keep schools closed on Wednesday due to a report ​of a possible second bear roaming the city, an official said.

The bear was seen about 500m from a ​middle school on Monday morning and near a university campus on Tuesday, causing the cancellation of all classes.

City officials used a drone to track the animal down after the sighting.

Bear attacks, including ⁠in urban areas, have increased in Japan, prompting the government to set up a task ‌force this year to reduce casualties.

The country reported a record 238 victims in the 2025 fiscal year, including 13 ‌deaths, according to the environment ministry.

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Asiatic black bears are listed as a vulnerable species worldwide, but aided by a decline in hunting their numbers are estimated to have tripled in Japan since 2012.

When the bear was sighted on Tuesday in a residential area, police cars raced to the vicinity to block off the section of the city.

Police officers could be seen holding long sticks and metal shields.

Residents were told to stay indoors while the search remained under way.

Depending on where the ⁠animal is found, they will decide whether to tranquilise, shoot or trap it for release, the official said.

Experts say climate ⁠change has reduced supply of bears' natural food, such as acorns and beechnuts, while the depopulation of ​rural areas has emboldened them to seek food near ‌human settlements.

(c) Sky News 2026: Wild black bear captured in Japan after multi-day hunt through major city