Wild bear trapped and killed after two-day stand-off in Japan supermarket

A two-day ordeal involving a rogue bear in a supermarket in north-eastern Japan ended on Dec 2 when the authorities trapped and killed the animal, which had attacked an employee and ransacked the store’s meat section.


The incident began on the morning of Nov 30 when the bear wandered into the supermarket as about 20 employees of the supermarket in Akita city were preparing for the day’s operations, Japan News reported.


It attacked a 47-year-old male employee, causing facial and other injuries that were later confirmed as non-life-threatening.

With no customers present at the time, the bear roamed freely in the store, helping itself to the meat stock before disappearing from view.


Police called in licensed hunters to kill the animal, which is said to be about a metre in length, but they were initially unable to locate it, Kyodo News said.


The efforts to locate the animal included deploying a camera-equipped drone, which proved ineffective.



According to the Kyodo news agency, the bear was captured at around 8.10am local time on Dec 2, about four hours after it triggered a sensor in one of the two box traps set up by the authorities.

The traps, baited with honey, apples and bread, were strategically placed, including one in a rear storage area where the bear was finally caught.


Bear encounters in Japan have become increasingly frequent due to habitat loss and food scarcity in the wild.


The supermarket, located about 1km from Tsuchizaki railway station in Akita, remained closed to the public throughout the stand-off, averting potentially graver consequences.


Despite the quick response by the authorities, the incident has renewed calls for more proactive wildlife management measures in regions like Akita prefecture, which has reported a rise in bear sightings and encounters.


The city, located in the coastal plains of central Akita prefecture and bordered by the Sea of Japan to the west, is known for its natural landscapes, which can sometimes bring wildlife into urban areas.

Wild bear trapped and killed after two-day stand-off in Japan supermarket | The Straits Times