Bears Cast Shadow over Northeastern Japan's Summer Festivals

Sendai, Miyagi Pref., Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)--Frequent bear sightings in human settlements are casting a shadow over three major festivals in the Tohoku northeastern Japan region that are a symbol of Japanese summer.

Organizers are working to strengthen patrols and take other steps to ensure that the teeming crowds of visitors enjoy the festivals without concerns.

Sendai, the capital of Miyagi Prefecture, is expected to welcome over two million people for the Sendai Tanabata Festival, set for Thursday through Saturday.

In the April-July period, the number of bear sightings in the city came to 216, an increase of around 40 pct from a year earlier. Bears tend to hide in bushes by rivers, and make their way to downtown areas by traveling along such bodies of water.

In April, a 1.5-meter-long bear stayed on the premises of a condominium building located about 1 kilometer away from the city government office for around 10 hours.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]