Watch: Japan's unusual course on avoiding a bear attack
Bear attacks in Japan are at a record high, with 238 incidents and 13 deaths reported in 2025.
In response, officials in the prefecture of Tochigi held drills on how to respond to a bear sighting.
Tetsuya Maruyama, head of Tochigi Prefecture's Wildlife Countermeasures Department, said Wednesday's drills were part of a series held to perfect authorities' response to an actual bear intrusion scenario.
Local police, accredited hunters and government officials participated in the drills, which included how to identify a wild bear, how to tranquillise one and how to administer bear spray.
