TOKYO, April 20 (Xinhua) -- A bear was killed after lurking in bushes for hours in a residential area in Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, on Sunday, local media reported.

Authorities in the city of Sendai confirmed the presence of the 1.5-meter-long animal at around 9 a.m. local time using a drone, following a series of emergency calls from residents, Kyodo News reported.

Local authorities initially tried to capture the bear with a box trap but failed. They then used a tranquilizer gun to immobilize the animal and subsequently killed it at around 7:30 p.m. under the country's emergency culling system. No human injuries have been confirmed, the report said.

The sighting occurred roughly 600 meters north of the Sendai city government office and near shopping malls. Police set up a restricted zone, deployed officers with protective shields, and closed nearby roads as dusk fell.

Bear sightings in the vicinity had been reported repeatedly since Friday, likely involving the same animal.

Miyagi issued a bear warning this month, as the number of bear sightings in the prefecture reached 1.5 times the average for April over the past five years, urging residents to avoid outdoor activities in the early morning and evening, and not to leave food waste unattended.

Japan has seen a marked rise in bear sightings and attacks. According to the Ministry of the Environment, the country reported more than 50,000 bear sightings nationwide in fiscal 2025, resulting in a record 238 casualties.

The emergency culling system, introduced in September 2025, allows the shooting of bears or boars in residential or other inhabited areas under decisions by municipal governments pursuant to the revised wildlife protection and management law. ■