Hold onto your hats, because Japan is facing a wild problem that's quite literally coming face-to-face with people! On a quiet early Friday morning in Gunma prefecture, north of Tokyo, a 69-year-old security guard had a scary encounter inside a public toilet. Local media Kyodo and NHK report that as the man was about to leave the building near a now-closed railway station, a 1 to 1.5 meter-long bear peeked inside! Caught by surprise, the man fell backward but bravely fought back by kicking. His quick moves made the hungry bear run away. Though the guard had some minor injuries on his right leg, he managed to run to a nearby police box to report the scary incident. This isn’t an isolated case. Japan is in the middle of a jaw-dropping wave of bear attacks this autumn — a record-breaking 197 attacks since April, with 13 tragic deaths reported by the environment ministry. The worst-hit places? Akita prefecture in the north, with heavy incidents also in Iwate and Fukushima to the northeast. Experts say hungry bears are showing up in towns because poor acorn and beechnut harvests mean less food in their natural homes. The government isn’t just sitting back. They’ve sent self-defence forces to Akita to help hunters trap bears. Police officers have even been allowed to shoot bears as a shortage of licensed hunters adds to the worry. Adding a twist to the tale, a local government in northeast Japan apologized after posting an AI-generated image of a giant bear on social media to warn people — but the pic was fake! Onagawa’s officials quickly deleted the image after the creator spotted and called them out. An apology followed, with one official telling Mainichi Shimbun, "We have caused anxiety and inconvenience to the town’s residents." So, folks, whether it’s a real bear or a fake picture, Japan’s warning bells are ringing loud and clear this year. Stay alert, and watch out for these unexpected visitors in the wild and even in public places!