Authorities in Utsunomiya closed 94 public schools and a university campus Tuesday after a series of bear sightings in the city center.
The closures represent a massive disruption to local education and public movement, signaling a high level of alarm from city officials regarding public safety.
Bear sightings began June 6 [1]. The situation escalated Tuesday morning when a bear was confirmed on the Mine campus of Utsunomiya University around 5:30 a.m. [2]. In response to the sighting, the university cancelled all classes across all departments.
City officials determined that multiple bears might be present in the area. To ensure resident safety and facilitate search efforts, the city closed all 94 public elementary and middle schools for two consecutive days [3].
Search operations began shortly after the university sighting. Authorities deployed drones to locate the animals starting around 6 a.m. [1]. Police and members of the local hunters' association are currently monitoring the area and conducting search operations.
Public safety warnings remain in effect for the central Utsunomiya area. "Police and the hunters' association are calling on people to never approach a bear if they see one," the police and hunters' association said [4].
The city's decision to shut down nearly 100 schools suggests that the bears have moved deep into residential and academic zones, areas typically considered safe from large wildlife. The use of drones and specialized hunting teams indicates a coordinated effort to remove the animals before injuries occur.
“The city closed all 94 public elementary and middle schools for two consecutive days.”
The scale of the shutdown in Utsunomiya reflects an increasing trend of wildlife encroachment into urban Japanese centers. By closing nearly 100 schools and a university, the city is prioritizing a 'zero-risk' approach to prevent human-wildlife conflict, acknowledging that the presence of multiple bears in a densely populated area creates an unpredictable and dangerous environment.
