US Warns Americans in Japan: Beware of Bear Attacks! 🐻🚨 Unusual warning sparks concern as bear sightings increase in Japan. Stay safe and informed with the latest updates. #Japan #BearAttack #TravelWarning #SafetyAlert"
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00:07Today headlines are
00:08The US
00:09State Department is warning Americans in Japan to be alert as bear attacks and sightings rise in parts of the country.
00:17Americans should avoid areas where bears are sighted, especially if walking alone, and be aware of their surroundings, the State Department said in a wildlife alert Wednesday.
00:27Anyone who spots a bear should report it to local authorities.
00:31Bears have killed at least 13 people in Japan since April, more than double the five people killed in the 2023-2024 fiscal year, AFP reported.
00:41It's the largest number of people killed by bears in Japan since the country began keeping such records in 2006.
00:48According to statistics from the Environment Ministry from the end of October, more than 100 additional individuals have been injured since April.
00:57Most of the attacks have occurred in northern Japan.
01:01In its alert, the State Department called out the Hokkaido and Akita prefectures, as well as Sapporo City, where officials closed a park next to the US.
01:10Consulate General after a bear was sighted there.
01:13Troops were recently deployed to Akita to contain the animals there.
01:16Some police have been authorized to shoot the animals, AFP reported.
01:21U.S. citizens should register for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, which makes it easier to receive security messages from the State Department and allows Americans to be located more easily in case of an emergency, the State Department said.
01:35The State Department regularly issues warnings, and every country in the world has been given a designated travel advisory.
01:43Japan's travel advisory level remains at one, meaning travelers should exercise normal precautions.
01:49However, U.S. officials rarely issue warnings about wildlife in another country.
01:54The State Department did not immediately respond to a query asking how many such warnings have been issued.
02:01Bears have been spotted near schools, in supermarkets, and even near Aiwaite Hanamaki Airport.
02:07Experts say the country's aging and declining rural population has contributed to the problem.
02:12As Japan's population shrinks, humans leave rural areas and bears move in.
02:18Then that area recovered to the forest, so bears have a chance to expand their range, biologist Koji Yamazaki, from Tokyo University of Agriculture, told CBS News Elizabeth Palmer in 2023.
02:31Older local hunters are also not used to bear hunting, and few preventative measures have been taken in recent years.
02:37Climate change has also affected the bears' hibernation schedules and impacted foods the animals depend on.
02:44Japan has two types of bear.
02:46Asian black bears found throughout the country's mainland, also known as moon bears, and the bigger brown bears that live on the main northern island of Hokkaido.
02:55Brown bears can weigh over 1,100 pounds and outrun humans.
03:00Asian black bears are climbers and are smaller, weighing around 440 pounds at most.
03:06According to the International Association for Bear Research and Management, thousands of the bears are culled in Japan each year.
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