Bear sighted in Sendai residential area, Japan; police urge residents to stay indoors
A bear was spotted in a densely populated residential area in Sendai, Japan. Authorities used a drone to locate the bear and are using a box trap to capture it safely, urging residents to stay indoors.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 19, 2026 at 17:21
- 🔍 Collected: April 19, 2026 at 17:31 (10 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 17:37 (5 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(CNA Comprehensive Foreign Report, Tokyo, 19th) Following multiple reports from residents this morning that a bear was seen walking in the residential area of Kimachidori, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, city officials located the bear resting in the bushes. The police have urged nearby residents to avoid going out for their safety.
According to the Mainichi Shimbun, officers from the Sendai Kita Police Station in Miyagi Prefecture arrived at the scene this morning and confirmed the bear's presence.
Around 9:00 AM, the Sendai City Government deployed a drone and confirmed the bear was in the bushes. However, due to concerns that firing a weapon could endanger civilians, they determined it was difficult to shoot the bear under the "emergency hunting rifle" protocol, deciding instead to set up a box trap to capture it.
Nearby residents had also reported seeing a bear yesterday, and the police believe it is likely the same animal.
The location is about 600 meters northwest of the Miyagi Prefectural Government office, surrounded by apartments, shops, offices, and elementary/junior high schools, and is very close to Tohoku University Hospital.
Currently, a police cordon has been set up around the buildings where the bear was reported, and officers are on high alert guarding the entrances.
A local resident in his 50s said, "It's scary to think you could run into a bear on streets like this. It must be hard for the responding personnel to fire a gun in a residential area; it's going to be a difficult situation to handle." (Compiler: Yang Wei-Ching) 1150419
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(CNA Comprehensive Foreign Report, Tokyo, 19th) Following multiple reports from residents this morning that a bear was seen walking in the residential area of Kimachidori, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, city officials located the bear resting in the bushes. The police have urged nearby residents to avoid going out for their safety.
According to the Mainichi Shimbun, officers from the Sendai Kita Police Station in Miyagi Prefecture arrived at the scene this morning and confirmed the bear's presence.
Around 9:00 AM, the Sendai City Government deployed a drone and confirmed the bear was in the bushes. However, due to concerns that firing a weapon could endanger civilians, they determined it was difficult to shoot the bear under the "emergency hunting rifle" protocol, deciding instead to set up a box trap to capture it.
Nearby residents had also reported seeing a bear yesterday, and the police believe it is likely the same animal.
The location is about 600 meters northwest of the Miyagi Prefectural Government office, surrounded by apartments, shops, offices, and elementary/junior high schools, and is very close to Tohoku University Hospital.
Currently, a police cordon has been set up around the buildings where the bear was reported, and officers are on high alert guarding the entrances.
A local resident in his 50s said, "It's scary to think you could run into a bear on streets like this. It must be hard for the responding personnel to fire a gun in a residential area; it's going to be a difficult situation to handle." (Compiler: Yang Wei-Ching) 1150419
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship from you is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the CNA 'First Hand News' APP to grasp the latest news instantly.
The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and utilized without authorization.