Tokyo International News Agency

Tension has spread among students and faculty at Iwate University, a national university located in Ueda, Morioka City, following the confirmation of a bear sighting on its campus. University authorities have canceled all afternoon lectures on Tuesday, October 28th, and have decided to keep classes suspended for the entire day on Wednesday, October 29th, urging students to evacuate into buildings and ensure their safety. Police have heightened their alert level after receiving reports from multiple students who witnessed the bear on campus. There is speculation that the bear spotted on campus could be the parent of a cub captured earlier the same morning in the underground parking lot of the Iwate Bank head office in Morioka City. With the parent bear's whereabouts still unknown, there are growing concerns about widespread bear sightings in urban areas. Despite its proximity to Morioka's city center, Iwate University is known for its campus rich in natural environments, includi...

On the morning of October 28, 2025, a bear cub entered the underground parking lot of the Iwate Bank Headquarters, located on Chuo-dori in Morioka City, causing a temporary stir in the city center. Iwate Prefectural Police and city officials rushed to the scene, and after an approximately three-and-a-half-hour operation, the cub was safely captured using an anesthetic dart. According to the Iwate Prefectural Police, at around 6:45 AM, an emergency call (110) was received from a security guard at Iwate Bank Headquarters, reporting "a bear cub in the underground parking lot." The site is Morioka City's representative government district, where the Prefectural Office, City Hall, and District Court are located, an area typically bustling with many people. The underground parking lot was immediately closed, and residents, commuters, and students in the vicinity were warned to be vigilant. At the scene, a box trap was set, and experts carrying tranquilizer guns were deployed to...