On the morning of August 12, several visitors spotted an adult bear near the Nishihama campsite in Yuza, Yamagata Prefecture, on the banks of the Gekko River. The animal is believed to be hiding in a bamboo grove near the campsite.
About 130 people who had stayed overnight since August 11 were evacuated; no injuries were reported. The town twice declared an emergency shooting order, but the bear escaped. Police closed roads in the area, and the campsite remains closed until August 14. Nishihama Beach is also closed on August 12, with a decision on further operations to be made later.