A highly intelligent bear that injured four people in northern Japan remains at large after unlocking a window and turning on a water tap to escape. The incident comes as Japan records a record 13 bear-related deaths in 2025 and over 50,000 sightings, driven by climate change and food abundance.
A record 13 people were killed by bears in Japan in 2025, and the country is currently on edge as an extremely intelligent bear remains at large in northern Japan .
The bear, which has been described as remarkably cunning, injured four people before evading capture in a series of dramatic events. According to local officials, the bear managed to unlatch a window from the inside while responders were attempting to secure it, and even turned on a water tap to drink before escaping. The incident has drawn widespread attention, with city officials and wildlife experts expressing astonishment at the animal's behavior.
Fukushima city mayor Yuki Baba provided details of the escape during a press conference, noting that claw marks were found near the exit and evidence suggested the bear unlocked the window on its own. This level of intelligence is rare among bears and has raised concerns about the increasing frequency of bear encounters in populated areas. Since hibernation season ended, bears have been emerging hungry and more willing to venture into human settlements in search of food.
In the last fiscal year, bear sightings nationwide surpassed 50,000, more than double the previous record set two years earlier, according to official data. Experts attribute the surge in bear populations and their bolder behavior to climate change, which has altered food availability. Warmer temperatures have boosted the growth of acorns and berries, as well as prey species like deer and boars, allowing bears to thrive.
However, this abundance also encourages bears to wander farther into human territory. Bears have been seen entering homes, roaming near schools, and rampaging through supermarkets and hot spring resorts almost daily. The bear at large in Fukushima has become a symbol of this growing crisis, and despite efforts by hunters and authorities equipped with traps and anaesthetic guns, it remains free.
The situation highlights the complex challenges Japan faces in balancing wildlife conservation with public safety, as both humans and bears compete for space in a changing environment
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