Authorities in northern Japan are searching for a large Asiatic black bear that broke into an elderly couple's home and raided their refrigerator, amid fears it may be responsible for 14 break-ins across the town of Shizukuishi over the past two weeks.
On Monday evening, 87-year-old Mitsuo Matsubara was confronted by the bear after hearing a noise in his kitchen. He found the fridge open and food scattered across the floor. His wife called the police. Break-ins have now been reported at five locations in the town, leading officials to suspect one bear may be a repeat offender.
Measures Taken to Capture the Bear
Officials have set up box traps, installed electric fences around repeatedly targeted houses, and deployed patrols to warn residents. Shiho Chida, a bear specialist with the nature division in Iwate prefecture, said: “It’s unusual for a bear to break into the same place multiple times. It’s possible this is the same animal, so we want to capture it as soon as possible.”
So far, a bear has been caught breaking into farm buildings four times over the past couple of weeks, helping itself to milk-based cattle feed. It was captured on camera attempting to open a sliding door at a farmhouse at night but fled after the farmer shone a light and shouted. The farmer now spreads a homemade anti-bear mixture containing Japanese mustard around entranceways.
Multiple Incidents Reported
Last Friday, a resident returned from shopping to find a bear inside his house near the room where his elderly father was sleeping. The animal ran outside when he banged on a door but attempted to re-enter. The man struggled for about 30 seconds to hold a sliding door shut as the bear stood on its hind legs, described as about 1.65 metres tall. The following evening, a woman discovered a bear going through food in her kitchen. On Sunday, it broke into a Japanese confectionery shop and took doughnuts from the fridge.
Bear's Sweet Tooth and Wider Context
The bear has broken into one house five times, eating cookies, sugar, and karinto, a Japanese sugar-coated sweet made from fried dough. Record numbers of bear attacks and fatalities have occurred in Japan in recent years. Experts believe shrinking rural populations make it less intimidating for bears to enter towns, and many have lost their fear of humans.
