Spike in Bear Attacks Prompts Japan’s Akita Prefecture to Seek Military Assistance

Japan’s Akita prefecture is facing a surge in bear attacks and may take the unusual step of calling in the military to help cull the animals. Governor Kenta Suzuki announced on social media that he plans to request military support as early as Tuesday, citing the “exhaustion” of local responders.

The announcement follows a record year for bear-related fatalities, with at least nine people killed since April and dozens more injured nationwide, according to government statistics. Akita alone has reported roughly 8,000 bear sightings this year—six times the total recorded last year, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation notes.

Encounters range from attacks on people exercising in urban areas to bears wandering into homes and even supermarkets. In one recent incident, a bear injured four people after entering a house. Authorities are now distributing bear-repellent spray along school routes to protect children.

Experts attribute the spike in attacks to multiple factors: a growing bear population—black bears now number around 44,000 nationwide, triple the 2012 estimate—combined with rural depopulation, which leaves fewer qualified hunters and more empty villages for bears to roam. Bears have also grown bolder, frequently foraging in populated areas.

Japan’s new environment minister has pledged tougher measures, including increasing government hunter numbers and improving bear management programs. Public broadcasters are advising residents to carry bear spray, wear bells, and check online maps of recent bear sightings.

Officials have issued safety guidance for encounters. Experts recommend backing away slowly without turning your back on the bear. An Akita University study suggests that if an attack becomes unavoidable, people should lie face down on the ground, protecting their neck and face with their hands.

Even Japan’s entertainment industry is feeling the impact: the release of Brown Bear, a horror film depicting bears attacking humans, has been postponed out of respect for real-life victims, the ABC reports.

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