News Black Bear Hamanaka, Sakata City, Yamagata Jan 12, 2026, 09:45 AM

Description

Around 09:45 on January 12, a single juvenile bear about 50–60 cm long was sighted in the Shonai Airport green area (in the woods beside the archery range) in Hamanaka, Sakata City. The management company patrolled the grounds but did not find the bear and its whereabouts are unknown. The city has issued warnings to local residents via disaster radio and social media.

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

Summary

On a snowy morning a juvenile bear was spotted in the green area near Shonai Airport; the management searched the site but lost sight of it. Sakata City has warned local residents via disaster radio and social media to avoid approaching the animal.

Bear Type

Black Bear

Number of Bears

1

Provider Type

News

Date & Time

Monday, January 12, 2026 at 09:45 AM

Address

Coordinates

38.838819, 139.795076

Sources