Bear at Kotatsu in Living Room; Returning Resident Finds It in Kitakata, Fukushima Pref.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:53 JST, December 24, 2024

A bear about 90 centimeters long was found in a private house in Kitakata, Fukushima Prefecture, by a resident male in his 60s who came home around 6:20 p.m. on Monday. The man took refuge in a neighbor’s house. The bear remained inside the house as of 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, and the prefectural police, City of Kitakata, and a local hunting club are discussing how to handle the situation.

According to the prefectural police, when the man came home and opened the door to the living room, he found the bear lying with its head in a Japanese kotatsu. Later, when he looked in through the window, he saw that the bear had eaten some food.

Cases of bears entering buildings are increasing in many places. On November 30, a bear entered a supermarket in Akita City and attacked an employee and was captured two days later.