Police and firefighters in Fukushima city received an emergency call on june 2 from Fukushima Steel Works in Sasakino district. The report stated that a black bear had entered the factory premises and attacked two employees.

Security camera footage showed the black bear chasing an employee near the factory entrance. A man in his 20s attempted to flee but was knocked to the ground by the bear. The animal then ran off after a car driver drove through the gate to scare it away.

Bear rushes into steel factory, attacks people in Fukushima, Japan. *Video: GMA News*

The bear subsequently re-entered the factory premises, injuring another employee in his 60s. It then moved to a different factory, injuring a 60-year-old man there, before attacking an elderly woman in her 80s in an adjacent residential area.

Police established a cordon, evaluating methods to capture the bear, and advised two nearby schools to close. By 10:50 p.m. on june 3, city authorities confirmed the bear had left the factory premises.

This bear attack has heightened public concern across Japan, especially after 2025 saw numerous bears appearing near residential areas. These incidents resulted in over 60 injuries and four fatalities in Akita province. Last year alone, Japan recorded a record 13 deaths from 230 bear attacks nationwide.

The bear runs within the factory premises in Fukushima, on june 2. *Photo: AP*

In march, the Japanese government estimated the total bear population nationwide to be approximately 57,800. Authorities have since approved a comprehensive bear population management roadmap, advocating for systematic control of their numbers. This plan aims to increase municipal personnel dedicated to bear control threefold to 2,500 people within five years, while also doubling the number of bear traps.

By Duc Trung (Sources: NHK, AP, Mainichi)