TOKYO — Besieged by bears, Japan's north welcomed reinforcements on Wednesday as the military deployed troops to respond to a record wave of attacks.
Bears have attacked about 100 people in the country since April and killed at least 13, according to the Japanese Ministry of Environment, the highest toll over the past decade and a half.
Such incidents have occurred almost daily near populated areas, mainly in the mountainous north. They've taken place near supermarkets, bus stations, schools and even a hot springs resort, prompting local officials to issue safety rules urging residents to stay indoors after dark and steer clear of dense woodland.
With local authorities struggling to cope, the military has now stepped in at their request.
“We recognize that the harm caused by bears is in a critical situation in Akita Prefecture,” military commander Yasunori Matsunaga said Wednesday during a signing ceremony between the defense ministry and authorities in the northern region.
“Starting today, we will begin carrying out our mission while taking various needs into consideration,” he said.
Armed with bear spray and shields, troops from the country's Self Defense Force will help carry and set steel-barred box traps to capture the bears, transport local hunters who then shoot them and help dispose of the bodies.
Kenta Suzuki, governor of Akita Prefecture, said the first deployment would be in Kazuno city. “I would like to once again express my heartfelt gratitude to all members of the Self-Defense Forces.”
The operation will be gradually extended to other municipalities until the end of the month, according to city officials.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said the troops were intervening "to protect the lives and livelihoods" of residents given the unique situation. But he made clear that the SDF's primary mission is national defense, meaning "we cannot involve ourselves in bear countermeasures indefinitely."
On Tuesday, a 77-year-old man sustained injuries near his right eye and right hand whiled delivering newspapers in the city of Akita. A 79-year-old woman was found dead on Monday in the woods of Akita Prefecture after a bear attack, police said.
Bears have attacked more than 50 people since May in the broader Akita Prefecture, killing at least four, according to the local government. The area is home to some 880,000 people.
“The townspeople feel the danger every day,” Kazuno Mayor Shinji Sasamoto said after meeting 15 or so soldiers who rolled into town in an army truck and jeeps, equipped with body armour and a large map.
“It has affected how people live their lives, 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 Asiatic black bear and the Hokkaido brown bear.
Experts believe that a combination of a growing bear population in Japan, people moving to cities from rural areas and fewer hunters due to an aging population have all played a role in the increasing number of incidents.
Climate change has also been cited as a factor because of its effect on food supply and hibernation patterns.
Arata Yamamoto reported from Tokyo, and Peter Guo from Hong Kong.
