Drivers warned after 3 bears spotted 'looking for food' on scenic road in north Japan

KAZUNO, Akita -- Drivers on a scenic road connecting north Japan's Akita and Iwate prefectures are being urged to exercise caution after three apparently hungry bears, unperturbed by traffic, were spotted on the roadside on Aug. 8.

The three Japanese black bears appeared on the Akita Prefecture side of the Hachimantai Aspite Line near the Hachimantai Visitor Center in the city of Kazuno. The center is urging drivers to exercise caution because "this is the period when bears' food is scarce."

When this reporter visited the area, two bears believed to be a mother and her cub appeared, apparently looking for food in a side ditch and elsewhere. The animals disappeared into the bush about 20 minutes later. Another bear then showed up on the roadside about 200 meters away and crossed the road.

None of the bears appeared to be afraid of the vehicles on the road, which included buses and motorcycles that made a loud sound as they passed. As I was watching the animals from a distance of about 20 meters, one of the bears approached my car while looking at the ground.

According to the visitor center's Hiromitsu Kudo, the three bears are apparently a mother and her cub born this year, and a 2- to 3-year-old independent bear.

"They have eaten up all the Asian skunk cabbages in the area, and their food has become scarce," Kudo said. "It's not good for the bears who inhabit the area and humans who use the road to get too close to each other. We want people to keep a proper distance by honking their horns, for example, if the bears appear on the road."

(Japanese original by Takeyuki Sato, Akita Bureau)