Overview
- The bear attacked four people at factory and nearby sites on June 2 and then sheltered inside an Oki Sympho‑Tech building before apparently unlatching a window to flee the premises on the night of June 3.
- None of the four victims suffered life‑threatening wounds but injuries included facial bone fractures and hospital treatment for workers and residents.
- Authorities set four box traps, deployed hunters, police and firefighters, fired a tranquillizer dart that later proved not to have delivered sedative, and did not use firearms at the site because of flammable materials.
- Search teams are continuing with drones and expanded patrols while local schools briefly moved lessons online and officials have urged residents to stay vigilant.
- The episode highlights wider pressures on Japan’s response tools as bear sightings and attacks have surged recently, including more than 50,000 reported sightings in the last fiscal year and a record 13 deaths in 2025.