A bear was seen near Mt. Takao in Tokyo

Hachioji, a city in Tokyo, the capital of Japan, said on Wednesday, September 16 that a bear was seen on Mt. Takao. The bear was an Asian black bear^*1. It was seen in the mountains near Trail No. 1 in the Takao area of the city.

The bear was seen at about 11 p.m. on Thursday, August 20. The Tokyo government told the city about it on September 16. So far, no tracks^*2 or other signs of the bear have been found.

The city has a plan for bears. Under this plan, the city has set the danger level at level 1. This means the city will watch the area.

The city also warned people who climb the mountain. Many visitors will come during Silver Week, a holiday time in Japan, and in the season when the leaves turn red and yellow.

The city asks people not to go into the mountains early in the morning, in the evening, or at night. People should not walk alone. They should carry a bell or a radio to make noise. If they see a bear, they should not disturb^*3 it. They should move away quietly.

The city will keep watching the area.

1. *1 Asian black bear: a kind of black bear that lives in Japan and other parts of Asia
2. *2 tracks: marks that an animal's feet leave on the ground
3. *3 disturb: to bother or make something afraid or angry