Mass school closures in Japan city as bear roams streets

A bear roaming the streets of a Japanese city for three days forced the closure of nearly 100 schools as dozens of hunters and officials searched for the animal.



The city government of Utsunomiya, north of Tokyo, closed all 94 public primary and junior high schools in the area after receiving more than 10 reports of bear sightings since Saturday - including in a shopping arcade.



"We have vehicles out to areas where a bear was seen to make people aware and to urge people to stay indoors or in vehicles," adding that dozens of hunters, police and local officials have been looking for the animal.



It was not clear whether there is one bear or more.