Bear seen near homes in Shiogama

People in Shiogama, a city in Miyagi Prefecture in the north of Japan, have reported^*1 seeing a bear. The bear was seen near Shinhama, an area of the city. On September 20, the city office asked people who live there to be careful.

The city says that if you see a bear, do not go near it. Call the police right away. In Japan, the number for the police is 110.

Bears come to places where they can find food. Food waste^*2 from kitchens can bring them closer to homes. So the city is asking people to keep food waste inside the house. People should put their trash out only on the morning of trash collection day^*3, not the night before.

1. *1 reported: told the city office about something they saw
2. *2 food waste: food that is thrown away, like leftover food and vegetable peels
3. *3 trash collection day: the day when a truck comes to take the trash away