A bear attack in a supermarket in Gunma, Japan, on October 7, 2025 Gunma Perfectural Police/TV Asahi

The US State Department on Wednesday issued an unusual warning to Americans in northern Japan: watch out for bears.

The “wildlife alert” advised that “bear sightings and attacks have increased in parts of Japan, especially in municipalities close to or adjacent to populated zones.”

As CNN reported last week , there has been a sharp uptick in bear attacks in Japan this year. At least 13 people have been killed and more than 100 injured since April this year, according to government figures – some of the highest numbers since records began in 2006.

In the alert issued Wednesday, the US diplomatic mission in Japan noted that a park in Sapporo, which is located next to the US consulat

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