In the past seven months, Japan has witnessed a surge in wild bear encounters, resulting in nearly 200 individuals being killed or injured. This alarming figure, recorded in the early stages of Japan’s fiscal year, is fast approaching the record of 219 casualties set in 2023.

October was particularly severe, with 88 bear attacks reported, tragically claiming the lives of seven people. The rise in these incidents is attributed to an increasing number of bears venturing into urban areas in search of food, driven by a scarcity of beech nuts, which are essential to their diet.

In response to the growing threat, the resourceful Japanese have devised innovative bear shelters to provide protection against these unexpected encounters.

Authorities put the spike down to more of the beasts roaming in urban areas amid a shortage of beech nuts, a key food for them.

The inventive Japanese have responded to the spike in maulings by coming up with a bear shelter.

Based on a steel cargo container, the reinforced structure can withstand more than 190 tonnes.

Last month, exasperated officials in the northern region of Akita were successful in a request for military help to deter roaming bears.

Troops from the Japanese Self-Defence Force, equipped with repellent spray. have been deployed to transport local hunters and help dispose of dead bears. Officials say the soldiers will not use firearms to cull the bears.

The growing bear population’s encroachment into residential areas is happening in a region with a rapidly aging and declining human population, with few people trained to hunt the animals.

The government has estimated the overall bear population at more than 54,000.