Bear Sighted at Yamagata Airport in Japan; Runway Closed for 30 Minutes for Safety Check

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:12 JST, June 26, 2025

HIGASHINE, Yamagata — An employee at Yamagata Airport in Higashine, Yamagata Prefecture, spotted a bear near the runway at around 7 a.m. on Thursday.

The bear, which was about 1.2 meters tall, soon disappeared, but the runway was closed for about 30 minutes to ensure conditions were safe. The prefectural police are urging residents in the area to be careful.

According to the prefectural airport office, two flights were delayed by about 30 minutes.