Military Deployed to Combat Rising Bear Attacks in Japan's Northern Hot Springs Region

The military will assist in transporting, setting, and inspecting box traps designed to capture the bears.

Kazuno:

Japan's military deployed troops to the mountainous northern region on Wednesday to assist with bear trapping following an urgent request from local authorities overwhelmed by a series of attacks.

The operation commenced in Kazuno town, where residents have been advised for weeks to avoid the surrounding dense forests, remain indoors after sunset, and carry bells to deter bears that might search for food near residential areas.

According to the environment ministry, Japan has recorded over 100 bear attacks with an unprecedented 12 fatalities nationwide since April. Two-thirds of these deaths occurred in Akita prefecture, where Kazuno is situated, and neighboring Iwate.

"As bears continue to enter populated areas in many regions and injuries from bear attacks increase daily, we absolutely cannot afford to delay implementing bear countermeasures," Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kei Sato stated during a press conference in Tokyo on Wednesday.

Officials in Akita report that bear sightings have increased six-fold this year to over 8,000, prompting the prefecture's governor to request assistance from Japan's Self-Defense Forces last week.

An army truck, several jeeps, and more than a dozen soldiers, some equipped with body armor, gathered Wednesday morning in Kazuno, a town of approximately 30,000 residents known for its hot springs, spectacular landscapes, and variety of sweet apples.

The troops will assist with transporting, setting, and inspecting the box traps used to capture bears, while the actual culling will be conducted by trained hunters with appropriate weapons.

Attacks In Supermarket, Hot Spring Resort

Increasing bear populations, climate change-induced alterations in natural food sources, and rural depopulation are bringing people and bears into more frequent contact across Japan. The aging population of hunters that authorities previously relied upon is now overwhelmed.

In recent months, bears have attacked customers inside a supermarket, assaulted a tourist waiting at a bus stop near a UNESCO World Heritage site, and injured a worker cleaning a bath at a hot spring resort.

Japanese black bears, common throughout most of the country, can weigh up to 130 kg (287 pounds). Brown bears on the northern island of Hokkaido can reach weights of 400 kg.

Japan previously utilized military assistance for wildlife control about a decade ago when they provided aerial surveillance for wild deer hunts. In a similar international example, the British army provided logistical support during the mass culling of animals infected with foot-and-mouth disease in 2001.