A bear entered the Aeon Noshiro store in Akita Prefecture, where staff trapped it before prefectural officials tranquilized and culled the animal. Shoppers and employees were safely evacuated with no injuries reported. The incident occurred on a Sunday morning.
On Sunday, around 11:20 a.m., a staff member at the Aeon Noshiro store in Noshiro, Akita Prefecture, called police to report a bear's entry. The bear was spotted near the first-floor furniture section, and employees lowered shutters to trap the approximately 80-centimeter-long animal. The store is located about 750 meters northwest of JR Noshiro Station in the city center, where the city hall and schools are concentrated.
Prefectural staff later tranquilized the bear with a blow dart and culled it more than two hours after the initial report. Police closed the mall's entrances and imposed traffic restrictions in the area until the bear was dealt with. The store remained closed for the rest of the day. All customers and employees were safely evacuated beforehand, with no injuries reported.
A 66-year-old nearby resident who had come to shop expressed fear, saying it was frightening for a bear to appear in such a busy area. Bear sightings have been on the rise in the region, highlighting ongoing issues with wildlife encroaching on human spaces.