Japan has deployed troops to the country’s rugged north to help trap bears after local authorities said besieged communities were struggling to cope with an unprecedented wave of attacks.
The operation began in Kazuno, a small town nestled among forested mountains that has registered a sharp rise in bear sightings.
Residents have been advised to steer clear of the dense forests and remain indoors after sunset to avoid encounters with bears searching for food near residential areas.
“Even if just temporary, the SDF’s help is a big relief,” said Yasuhiro Kitakata, who oversees the town’s bear department.
“I used to think bears would always run away when they heard noise but now they actually come toward you. They’re truly frightening animals,” he added.
There have been more than 100 bear attacks with a record 12 people killed across Japan since April, according to the environment ministry.
In Akita, authorities say bear sightings have jumped six-fold this year to more than 8000, and attacks are on track to set a new record, prompting its governor to request help from the Self-Defence Forces last week.
“The townspeople feel the danger every day,” Kazuno mayor Shinji Sasamoto said after meeting about 15 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.
Military personnel have been deployed to install, manage, and inspect the steel-barred traps designed to capture bears, which are subsequently euthanized by professional hunters contracted to manage the bear population.
In a move to facilitate bear control in urban settings, the government eased firearm regulations in September, allowing hunters more leeway to shoot bears in city areas.
After Kazuno — a town of about 30,000 people known for its hot springs, scenery and variety of sweet apples — the soldiers will head for the cities of Odate and Kitaakita under an agreement lasting until the end of November.
In recent weeks, bears have attacked customers inside a supermarket, jumped a tourist waiting at a bus stop near a UNESCO World Heritage site and mutilated a worker at a hot spring resort.
Some schools have temporarily closed after bears were spotted wandering around their grounds.
Japanese black bears, common across most of the country, can weigh up to 130kg.
Brown bears on the northern island of Hokkaido can weigh as much as 400kg.
