After Bears Kill 12 in 6 Months, Japan Sends In the Troops

Japan has deployed its military to assist in managing a record surge of bear attacks in the northern prefecture of Akita, where residents have grown increasingly alarmed by frequent encounters with the animals near schools, train stations, and supermarkets. "It has affected how people live their lives, forcing them to stop going out or cancel events," Kazuno Mayor Shinji Sasamoto tells Reuters. Since April, bears have killed 12 people across the country—the highest annual death toll since the government began tracking such incidents in 2006—and injured more than 100. In Akita prefecture, more than 50 people have been attacked since May, including at least four fatally, per CBS News. Some 70% of those attacks have been in residential areas, experts say.

The deployment, agreed upon by Akita and the Defense Ministry, tasks Japan's Self-Defense Forces with setting box traps for Akita's Asiatic black bears, who are later culled by trained hunters; transporting hunters; and handling the disposal of dead bears. Soldiers will not be armed for culling, per CBS. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi emphasized that while the military's main focus remains national defense, the bear mission is intended to help secure public safety. As of now, Akita is the only prefecture to request this level of military assistance.

Experts point to Japan's declining and aging rural population as a key factor behind the uptick in bear encounters. As neighborhoods and farms are abandoned, bears are drawn to leftover crops and fruit trees, making them more likely to wander into populated areas in search of food. The northern bear populations are also said to be increasing. Meanwhile, the pool of local hunters is shrinking, with few experienced in bear hunting. This has prompted some experts to call for training police and other officials as specialized hunters. The national government has formed a taskforce to develop a comprehensive bear management strategy, expected by mid-month. Proposed measures include enhanced bear population surveys, improved warning systems for residents, and potential revisions to hunting regulations, per the AP.