A bear-spray canister accidentally discharges inside a Japan Post office, hospitalizing five people, according to reports. The incident occurs amid a broader increase in bear-related attacks and related injuries across Japan this year. One outlet reports that at least five people are hospitalized after the accidental release at the post office, while the same story is framed in the context of a record number of bear-attack deaths in the current period. Another report notes that at least five people have been killed by bears since April 1, and that the previous fiscal year recorded a record 13 bear-attack deaths. Together, the accounts indicate that the post-office incident involves accidental exposure to bear spray rather than a direct bear attack inside the facility. The hospitalized victims are described as visitors to the post office who receive medical treatment following the discharge. The reports do not provide additional details such as the location, cause of the accidental activation beyond the canister discharging, or the conditions of the injured people.