When a Japanese man in his 60s returned home for the evening on December 23, he stumbled upon a scene straight out of a cartoon: a bear with its head buried under a blanketed kotatsu table. The incident occurred in a snowy mountainous village named Atsushiokanomachi in Kitakata City, Fukushima Prefecture, at around 6:20 p.m. NHK has released footage of the scene.
The man, surprised and afraid, took refuge at a neighbor’s house. When he later peered into a window at around 8:00 p.m., the 90 cm-long black bear was still lingering, chomping on some food. Upon the neighbor’s notice, the prefectural police and the local hunters’ association attempted for several hours the next morning to remove the animal. Using crackers, the police finally lured the stubborn bear out to a small shed. It was shot with a tranquilizer dart at around 3:25 p.m. and safely released back into the mountains.
As the bear is believed to have entered through a sliding back door to the man’s house, police have urged local residents to lock their doors. They have also restricted access to the residential area where the incident took place, about 11km north of JR Kitakata Station.
“kotatsu bear” graphic, courtesy of ANN News
A Rise in Bear Intrusions
While it is not uncommon for bears to appear in the area, this particular intrusion is one among a recent string of similar incidents across Japan. Notably, a bear entered a supermarket in Akita City on November 30, attacking an employee and remaining for almost three days inside the store. Fortunately, the 47-year-old man’s injuries were not fatal. After a dramatic two-day standoff with police, involving drone usage and widespread concern, the bear was ensnared and killed.
Akita Prefecture has seen an alarming rise in bear sightings in urban areas this year, extending its “Black Bear Caution Alert” through December. Experts have warned residents to remain hidden and still when encountering the animals. They explain that bears venturing out to populated areas in search of food are especially dangerous, due to heightened stress.
Governor Satake’s hypothetical threat: “I’ll send the bear to your house,” courtesy of Fuji News Network
Public Outrage Over Bear Exterminations
The extermination of the supermarket bear in November reignited controversy about how to handle wild animals encroaching in urban areas. Reportedly, the Akita Prefectural Office received an overwhelming number of phone complaints about the extermination, many from non-residents.
This is a common issue for local governments whenever a bear is put down. Calls from concerned citizens can last up to 30 minutes, even an hour, interfering with government employees’ schedules. Akita Prefecture Governer Takahisa Satake made headlines with his ruthless response to the complaints. According to NHK, Satake remarked that if he was on the receiving end of a call, he would threaten, “give me your address, and I’ll send the bear to your house.”
In response to those questioning the extremity of his statement, Satake expressed the necessity of taking a firm stance as a leader. At a general review of the Akita Prefectural Assembly on December 18, he acknowledged that exterminations can sometimes require explanations. However, he also urged complainers “to think about what would happen if there was a bear near their house. [Ultimately,] human life is the priority.”
