A black bear on the runway forced Japan’s Yamagata Airport to cancel 12 flights and close to passengers on Thursday.

First spotted in the morning, the bear reappeared at noon, prompting further closures as staff and police failed to capture it.

The incident comes amid a rise in bear encounters in Japan, linked to climate change and rural depopulation, CBS News has reported.

Authorities have stepped up measures, including laws allowing hunters to shoot bears in populated areas.

Written by B.C. Begley