Troops deployed to Akita after record sightings

TOKYO — Besieged by bears, northern Japan welcomed reinforcements Wednesday as the military deployed troops to respond to a record wave of attacks.

Bears have attacked around 100 people in the country since April and killed at least 13, according to the Japanese Environment Ministry, the highest death toll in the past 15 years.

Such incidents occur almost daily near populated areas, mainly in the mountainous north. They took place near supermarkets, bus stations, schools and even a spa, prompting local authorities to issue safety rules urging residents to stay at home after dark and avoid dense forests.

As local authorities struggle to cope, the army has now intervened at their request.

“We recognize that bear damage is in a critical situation in Akita Prefecture,” military commander Yasunori Matsunaga said Wednesday at a signing ceremony between the Defense Ministry and authorities in the northern region.

“From today we will begin to carry out our mission taking into account different needs,” he said.

Armed with bear spray and shields, troops from the country’s Self-Defense Forces will help transport and set steel bar traps to capture the bears, transport local hunters who will then shoot them, and dispose of the bodies.

Kenta Suzuki, governor of Akita Prefecture, said the first deployment would take place in the city of Kazuno. “I would like to once again express my sincere gratitude to all members of the Self-Defense Forces.”

The operation will gradually be extended to other municipalities until the end of the month, according to city authorities.

Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said the troops were intervening “to protect the lives and livelihoods” of residents given the unique situation. But he clarified that the SDF’s primary mission is national defense, meaning “we cannot get involved in bear control measures indefinitely.”

On Tuesday, a 77-year-old man was injured near his right eye and right hand while delivering newspapers in the city of Akita. A 79-year-old woman was found dead in the woods of Akita Prefecture on Monday after a bear attack, police said.

Bears have attacked more than 50 people since May in Akita Prefecture, killing at least four people, according to the local government. The region is home to some 880,000 people.

“Residents feel the danger every day,” said Kazuno Mayor Shinji Sasamoto, after meeting around 15 soldiers who arrived in town aboard a military truck and jeeps, equipped with bulletproof vests and a large map.

“It has affected the way people live, forcing them to stop going out or cancel events,” Sasamoto said, according to the Reuters news agency.

Japan is home to two main types of bears, the Asian black bear and the Hokkaido brown bear.

Experts believe the combination of a growing bear population in Japan, people moving from rural areas to cities and a decline in hunters due to an aging population has played a role in the increase in incidents.

Climate change has also been cited as a factor due to its effect on food supply and hibernation patterns.

Arata Yamamoto reported from Tokyo and Peter Guo from Hong Kong.