A bear that injured four people in Fukushima, Japan, this week has escaped, according to local officials.
Fukushima Mayor Yuki Baba highlighted the Asian black bear's apparent intelligence in a press conference.
"It appears to be an extremely intelligent bear," Baba said. "We are receiving reports that the bear turned on a tap to drink water."
The bear had been trapped inside a steel factory after it went on a rampage at the factory and in the surrounding resident area on Tuesday morning, leading to the attack on four people. Surveillance video shows the bear chasing a man and throwing him to the ground.
The incident prompted local schools to order children to remain at home, according to Keishi Mochiji, an official with Fukushima City's agriculture department.
The four injured people were reportedly taken to hospitals.
A local Fukushima official said the bear escaped by sliding open a window at the factory. No video of the bear escaping was immediately available but images of the open window were shared with media outlets.
Japan's bear population has been growing and attacks have been on rise, with the island nation seeing 13 deaths from bear attacks in 2025, according to preliminary data from Japan's Environment Ministry.
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