Bullet train hits bear in northeast Japan; no one injured

A bullet train hit a bear on Tuesday morning in northeastern Japan, temporarily disrupting shinkansen services between Akita Prefecture and Tokyo, on the same day the government launched a nationwide survey of bear populations following an increase in sightings and attacks.

No one was injured in the incident, which occurred at around 7:30 a.m. between Wada and Ugo-Sakai stations in Akita. According to JR East, the driver of the Tokyo-bound train applied the brakes after noticing a bear on the tracks but was unable to stop in time.

The train underwent an inspection at Ugo-Sakai Station and resumed operations shortly after 8 a.m. as no problems were found, according to the operator. The bear has not been found since the accident.

The Environment Ministry began a bear population survey on Tuesday in habitats centered around northeastern Japan, amid a rise in bear attacks, some of them fatal.

The project, which involves installing cameras in the mountains, will run until around the end of September. The ministry plans to publish estimates of bear populations by habitat and prefecture within six months of the survey's completion.