Bear hunt continues as Japanese city shuts schools for second day

Utsunomiya shut all 94 primary and middle schools for a second day while teams hunt a roughly 100 kg black bear spotted repeatedly near a university — the city's first-ever ursine sighting.
Japan has seen rising bear incidents (a record 238 victims, including 13 deaths in fiscal 2025), prompting a national task force to reduce casualties.
Experts blame reduced natural food (acorns, beechnuts) and abandoned rural land for bears moving into towns; authorities say they may tranquilize, trap or shoot the animal depending on where it's found.