Japanese authorities have deployed military units to protect people from bears (video)
Units of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) have joined the fight against a sharp increase in the number of bear attacks on people in the northeastern prefecture of Akita. This is reported by Kyodo News.
Representatives of the ground forces and local authorities signed an agreement to provide logistical support to the military, which will be valid until November 30. The operation, involving soldiers from an infantry regiment, began in the city of Kazuno, Akita Prefecture. The soldiers will help set and check steel traps used to catch wild animals.
The Ministry of Defense explained that the military will not participate in the shooting of bears, since they have not undergone appropriate training, and such actions are prohibited by the Self-Defense Forces Act and other regulatory acts. The animals will be shot by licensed hunters.
According to the Japanese Ministry of Environmental Protection, since April 2025, more than 100 bear attacks on people have been recorded in the country, 12 of which were fatal.
Experts note that the peak of bear activity traditionally falls on October and November, when they are actively looking for food before hibernation. This year, the surge in attacks is associated with a lack of natural food in the mountains – last year there was much more of it.
In Akita Prefecture alone, there are now more than 8,000 bears – six times more than last year. Due to the threat of attacks, communities are canceling mass events and temporarily closing schools. Authorities are urging residents not to go outside at night, as the animals often look for food near human habitation.
This is not the first time the Japanese military has helped control wildlife. They previously conducted aerial surveillance during wild deer hunting about a decade ago and participated in the elimination of sea lions to protect fisheries in the 1960s.
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kei Sato said at a press conference that the government would present a package of emergency measures to address the bear problem this month, including plans to recruit more licensed hunters.
“As bears continue to enter settlements in many regions and injuries from bear attacks are increasing every day, we absolutely cannot afford to delay countermeasures against them,”, Kei Sato explained.
At the same time, the Japanese government has relaxed gun ownership regulations to make it easier for hunters to shoot bears even within urban areas districts.
