Bears spotted near school in Akita and on roads in Yamaguchi, Japan

A bear about 1.5 m long entered the grounds of Shōgunō Middle School in Akita City, where a student observed it before it returned to the adjacent forest. Local police urged residents to stay alert.

In Yamaguchi Prefecture, several sightings were reported on the same morning. A driver on a city road in Yamaguchi City saw a bear roughly 1 m long near the foothills and called 110. Shortly after, another bear of similar size crossed a prefectural road near Shunan City and moved into a field. No injuries were reported, and police dispatched patrols and issued safety warnings.