Overview
- Sapporo has logged a record 319 bear incidents this fiscal year through the end of October, with sightings continuing across Hokkaido.
- Authorities say bear removals in Sapporo have reached a record 16 this year and about half were lone young bears that may not hibernate.
- A driver reported a bear on Hokuto’s Den-en Bridge around 12:20 a.m. on Nov. 19, prompting a police response.
- City staff are strained by frequent callouts and patrols to prevent injuries as reports persist in areas including Sapporo, Noboribetsu and Tomakomai.
- Icy “slippery” roads were reported across Sapporo on Nov. 19 with multiple crashes, and police urged winter driving caution while warning that misinformation, including AI-edited videos, is heightening public anxiety.