Four injured as black bear attacks Fukushima factories

Four people were injured in a series of bear attacks in northern Japan on Tuesday, as authorities continue to search for the animal amid a nationwide surge in dangerous encounters. The incident occurred in the Sasakino district of Fukushima City, where a black bear entered human settlements and industrial areas.

According to police and fire department officials, the bear first attacked two employees at the Fukushima Steel Works. Security camera footage shows the animal chasing a man in his 20s near the factory entrance and throwing him to the ground. It then moved into the factory compound and injured a second male employee in his 60s. The bear subsequently injured a third person, a male employee in his 60s at a separate electronic equipment manufacturer, and an 80-year-old woman in a nearby residential area. Officials reported that the three men sustained minor injuries while the woman had moderate injuries; none were considered life-threatening.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the bear had not been captured and was believed to still be inside the second company's compound, which was surrounded by police. Two nearby schools, including Noda Elementary School, were closed as a...