Tokyo —
When Japanese soldiers arrived in the northern prefecture of Akita on Thursday, they prepared to face a new kind of threat – one with fuzzy ears and up to 220 pounds of mass.
This mountainous region is known for its lush forests, lakes and valleys – and for being a hotspot for this year’s deadly bear attacks in Japan.
“The situation has already surpassed what the prefecture and municipalities can handle on their own, and exhaustion on the ground is reaching its limit,” said Akita Gov. Kenta Suzuki in an Instagram post last month.
It’s a national problem, fueled by the climate crisis and habitat change. Across Japan, at least 13 people have been killed and more than 100 injured since April this year, according to government figures – the highest numbers since records began in 2006.
In October alone, shoppers were attacked in a supermarket, a Spanish tourist was scratched by a cub at a heritage site, and a trail runner was forced to wrestle a bear in the woods before sprinting to safety.
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