News Black Bear Shonai Airport buffer green space, Yamagata Jan 13, 2026, 07:35 AM

Description

A bear was sighted in the buffer green space east of Shonai Airport at around 09:45 on the 12th and around 07:35 on the 13th; its length was estimated at 50–60 cm. The airport office restricted use of the tennis courts, archery range, and soccer field, and increased patrols and posted notices to alert nearby residents.

Note: Official sources provide information in Japanese only. This description has been machine translated for your convenience.

Summary

A small bear was sighted on Jan. 12 and 13 in the buffer green space at Shonai Airport in Sakata City, prompting the airport office to restrict use of tennis courts, the archery range and a soccer field. Officials have stepped up patrols and posted notices to warn nearby residents.

Bear Type

Black Bear

Number of Bears

1

Provider Type

News

Date & Time

Tuesday, January 13, 2026 at 07:35 AM

Address

Coordinates

38.816207, 139.792007

Sources