Utsunomiya, Japan closes 94 schools after black bear sighting

The city of Utsunomiya, about 100 km north of Tokyo, suspended all 94 public primary and middle schools after a black bear was sighted for the first time in a residential area near a park. Officials received more than ten reports of the animal, prompting warnings for residents to stay indoors or in their vehicles.

A multi‑day operation involving police, hunters and local officials tracked the roughly 100‑kg bear. On June 9 the animal was tranquilised with a dart, captured and moved to a cage; its fate has not yet been decided. Authorities also warned of a possible second bear in the area, keeping schools closed for additional days.

The incident adds to a recent surge in bear encounters across Japan, which saw 238 attacks and 13 fatalities in 2025. The government has formed a special response team to curb such incidents, attributing the rise to climate change, reduced hunting and loss of agricultural land that pushes bears toward towns.