Japan's military dispatched troops to the mountainous north on Wednesday to help trap bears, following urgent requests from local authorities struggling with a surge of attacks. Residents have been warned to avoid nearby forests, stay indoors after dark, and carry bells to deter bears foraging near homes.
According to the environment ministry, there have been over 100 bear attacks and 12 deaths across Japan since April, with two-thirds occurring in Akita prefecture, including Kazuno and nearby Iwate.
Military steps in after bears enter towns and public spaces
Kazuno Mayor Shinji Sasamoto said, "The townspeople feel the danger every day. It has affected how people live their lives, forcing them to stop going out or cancel events." Soldiers are helping to transport, set, and inspect box traps used to capture bears, while trained hunters carry out the culling.
Bear sightings in Akita have jumped six-fold this year to over 8,000, prompting the prefecture's governor to request Self-Defense Forces assistance. In recent weeks, bears have attacked customers in a supermarket, jumped on tourists at bus stops near UNESCO World Heritage sites, and injured workers at hot spring resorts. Some schools have temporarily closed after sightings in and around their grounds.
Rising bear numbers, climate change affecting food sources, and rural depopulation are driving increased human-bear encounters. Black bears weigh up to 130 kg, while Hokkaido's brown bears can reach 400 kg.
The government plans additional emergency measures, including recruiting more licensed hunters, after relaxing gun rules in September to facilitate bear control in urban areas. Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kei Sato said, "As bears continue to enter populated areas in many regions and injuries from bear attacks increase daily, we absolutely cannot afford to put off bear countermeasures."