A family in northern Japan reported finding a bear in their kitchen, a local official said Wednesday, amid growing concern over the animals after a sharp rise in fatal attacks attributed to them.

Bears have killed at least five people in Japan since April 1, all in the Tohoku region in the north of the country, after a record 13 attacks causing injuries were recorded across the country during the last fiscal year, according to the Environment Ministry.

Police in the city of Shizukuishi received a report on Monday evening from a family saying a bear had entered their home.

A local police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that the bear "opened the fridge and scattered its contents nearby."

The official added that footprints indicated the bear "left through a back door adjacent to the kitchen, and also searched the trash can for food scraps."

At least four other families have reported bears entering their homes in Shizukuishi since July 5, according to the police official.

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Recent months have seen a notable increase in bear sightings after they emerged from hibernation, and their numbers roaming cities and towns have grown.

In June, dozens of police officers, hunters and city officials needed four days to capture a bear roaming in Utsunomiya, north of Tokyo, forcing authorities to close schools widely.

Earlier, another bear described as "extremely intelligent" after it opened a window and turned on a tap attacked four people in two factories in Fukushima and remained at large for days.

Scientists attribute the sharp rise in incidents to increasing bear populations, declining rural populations, and other factors including variation in the availability of typical bear food.