US EditionJapan to Deploy Military as Bear Attacks Claim 12 Lives
- On October 27, 2025, Akita Governor Kenta Suzuki said he would ask the Ministry of Defence to dispatch Japan's Self-Defense Forces to cull bears, stating `The lives of citizens can no longer be protected without the help of the Self-Defense Forces`.
- With bear numbers climbing, Japan's population rose from 15,000 in 2012 to 44,000 now, and experts link this to food shortages, fewer hunters, and warmer winters.
- At Camp Akita, about 130 Ground Self-Defense Force personnel drilled on box traps and deterrent spray, with Defence Ministry spokespersons stating their role excludes using firearms to shoot bears.
- Local authorities report 54 people killed or injured this year, far above last year's 11, and Akita Governor Kenta Suzuki warned `Exhaustion on the ground is reaching its limit` amid rising attacks.
- Legally, officials note that no law allows dispatching the Self-Defense Forces to exterminate bears, so authorities plan control programs, AI surveillance cameras, drone warning systems, and boosting hunters next year.
123 Articles
123 Articles
Swedish Robin Töth lives in the middle of the bear-infested city of Akita in northern Japan. A woman was recently killed just a kilometer away. He protects himself with a bell
Japanese military dispatched to halt major bear incursion
The Japanese military has been dispatched to halt a major bear incursion. More than 100 people have been injured, and 11 killed, by bears in Japan this year, a record; the defense minister said that bears “have been appearing in supermarkets” and “people are living in great fear.” The country’s bear population is increasing, perhaps because the human population is declining and abandoning rural settlements. A poor crop of nuts and acorns this ye…
Japan Is Deploying Its Army To Address Unprecedented Spike In Bear Attacks
Black bear in Japan Japan has been grappling with a concerning rise in bear attacks that have resulted in a record-high annual death toll while injuring more than 100 people. Those numbers will likely only continue to rise as the animals prepare to enter hibernation, and the nation’s army is being dispatched in an attempt to address the problem. There are sixty countries on the planet where bears can be found in the wild, with the bulk of them l…
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