US EditionJapanese region asks army to cull bears as attacks spike
Akita has recorded 54 bear attack casualties this year, with the population rising from 15,000 in 2012 to 44,000, prompting a call for Self-Defense Forces' logistical support.
- A regional Japanese official requested military assistance due to a significant increase in bear attacks, stating the situation is 'truly dire' for public safety.
- Japan has reported a record 10 fatalities from bear attacks this year, surpassing the previous record of six, according to a government official.
- Governor Kenta Suzuki emphasized that the escalating bear encounters require military support, stating that local resources are insufficient to ensure safety.
- The Japanese Self-Defense Forces plan to provide logistical aid, including assistance with bear traps, though they are prohibited from shooting bears, as stated by Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi.
95 Articles
95 Articles
‘I’m scared’: military joins fight to combat bear attacks in northern Japan
Japan’s Self-Defence Forces (SDF) will deploy units to the northern region of the country to help protect locals from bears, amid rising cases of attacks and a growing sense of “crisis”, according to authorities. There have already been a record 10 fatalities across the nation this year. Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi on Monday said he was looking into the possibility of sending troops to Akita prefecture in response to requests from the pref…
In northern Japan, the authorities issued a bear alert. The governor of an area of 300,000 inhabitants called for the intervention of the army. Since the beginning of 2025, bear attacks have killed at least ten people in the archipelago. In search of food, the plantigrads do not hesitate to get closer to the residential areas. In supermarkets in Japan, bells and pepper spray are on sale. This is the only way to keep them away. (International).
In northern Japan, ten people have been killed by the wild animals since the beginning of the year, which is a new peak. The governor of the Akita Prefecture has now requested the help of the army.
Japanese region asks army to cull bears after 54 attacks this year
TOKYO, Oct 27 (Reuters) – The governor of Japan’s Akita, a mountainous northern prefecture, has called for the military’s help to protect residents from an unprecedented wave of bear attacks. “Exhaustion on the ground is reaching its limit,” Governor Kenta Suzuki said in an Instagram post on Sunday. He said he planned to ask for help with a bear cull. Japan’s new defence minister Shinjiro Koizumi will meet Suzuki on Tuesday morning, according to…
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