A bear injured four people in a residential area of Fukushima, Japan, on Tuesday, marking the latest in a series of attacks that have raised alarm across the country.
The incident began at the Fukushima Steel Works in the Sasakino district, where security footage captured a black bear chasing and throwing a 20-year-old employee to the ground. The bear then injured a second male employee in his 60s inside the factory compound.
Authorities say the bear later attacked a third man, also in his 60s, at a nearby company, and a woman in her 80s in the neighborhood. Injuries were minor to moderate, with none life-threatening.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the bear remained at large. Two schools closed, with Noda Elementary moving classes online.
This attack follows a record year: Japan's Environment Ministry reports 13 people were killed in over 230 bear attacks in 2025, the highest on record. Experts cite a growing bear population and a declining, aging human population with few trained hunters.
The government estimates the bear population at 57,800 and has adopted a management plan to triple municipal bear control staff and double trap numbers within five years.
Bear sightings have also been reported in Tokyo's western suburbs, prompting additional traps and social media alerts.