Overview
- Nagano Prefecture formed a cross-department Black Bear Task Force in November after incidents including a home attack in Iiyama and rare sightings near central Nagano’s Zenkoji approach.
- Bear specialists emphasize that most encounters involve defensive behavior and advise residents to stay composed and follow risk-reduction steps such as proper deterrents.
- A nationwide, year-end consultation drive is underway, with lawyers taking calls and in-person visits from people struggling with higher living costs as public offices close for the holidays.
- Hokkyo Bank staff in Hokuto detected an SNS investment scam, enabling a 66-year-old man to recover the ¥100,000 he had transferred to a frozen account.
- Reporting in Hokkaido indicates the Hokkaido Shinkansen segment to Sapporo could overrun by up to about ¥1.2 trillion, lifting total costs to roughly ¥3.5 trillion and raising concerns over timing and local burdens.