The Japanese government deployed troops to the Akita prefecture to try to stop a wave of bear attacks that since April left 12 dead and more than 100 injured throughout the country, when the animals began to approach residential and commercial areas in search of food.
Operations began in the city of Kazuno, in a forested area with multiple sightings. The Ministry of Defense and the prefecture signed an agreement for soldiers to install baited traps, transport local hunters and collaborate in the removal of killed animals, without using firearms, according to authorities.
Akita, with nearly 880,000 inhabitants, has recorded more than 50 attacks and at least four deaths since May. Neighbors filmed bears in yards, climbing persimmon trees and prowling around houses; Among the cases cited are a woman found dead while picking mushrooms in Yuzawa and a newspaper deliveryman injured during his route.
Operations and official responses
The first contingent sent had 15 troops who installed steel traps and checked devices in orchards and rural roads. In images, soldiers with white helmets, bulletproof vests, repellent sprays and net launchers were seen working alongside local authorities.
“Every day, bears invade residential areas of the region and their impact is expanding,” said Fumitoshi Sato, deputy chief cabinet secretary.
For its part, andThe Minister of Defense, Shinjiro Koizumi, explained that the mission seeks to contribute to public security and pointed out that the main function of the Self-Defense Forces is national defense, so they cannot sustain unlimited support due to lack of personnel.
An agricultural producer in the area recounted the direct impact on the crops: “I am devastated,” he said, saying that the bears ate more than 200 ripe apples from his crop.
Causes, measures under study and local effects
Officials and experts attributed part of the increase in encounters to aging and rural depopulation, which left abandoned neighborhoods and orchards with persimmon and chestnut trees that attract animals. In addition, the shortage of young hunters complicated population control.
The government created a working group last week to present an official plan by mid-November. Among the measures under study are censuses of the bear population, communication alert systems, reviewing hunting rules and training specialists in hunting and ecology.
Yasuhiro Kitakata, municipal bear management official, stated that temporary assistance means “a great relief” for communities overwhelmed by the encounters, although he acknowledged that aid does not replace a long-term strategy.
Social impact and recommendations
Authorities recommended avoiding forests and staying indoors after dark, and several towns canceled events for fear of new encounters. In some local reports, up to 8,000 sightings were mentioned in the area, near homes, roads and rural schools.
Meanwhile, municipalities evaluated training police and other officials as “government hunters” to make up for the lack of expert manpower in hunting and handling bears.
The immediate future will depend on the plan presented by the working group and the capacity of the authorities to combine control, communication and protection measures for affected communities.
