November 5, 2025, 1:01 p.mNovember 5, 2025, 1:01 p.m
After an extraordinary number of fatal bear attacks, Japan began sending soldiers to the hardest-hit region on Wednesday. The Defense Ministry said the soldiers were equipped with, among other things, defensive spray, sticks, shields and net launchers.
The Japanese government announced a package of measures against the bears in mid-November. (symbol image)Image: keystone
However, the soldiers do not carry firearms and are not supposed to hunt the animals. Twelve people have been killed by bear attacks in Japan since April. This is a new high. Over a hundred other people were injured.
Japan’s armed forces therefore agreed to provide logistical support in rural areas, including by transporting bear traps, hunters and captured bears. On Wednesday, a team of 15 soldiers was dispatched to deliver a trap to the town of Kazuno in the northern Akita region hit by bear attacks.
The cabinet of the new head of government, Sane Takaichi, met for a special meeting last week due to the bear crisis and announced a package of measures for mid-November. Among other things, there is talk of deploying more hunters who can respond to emergencies, such as bear sightings in residential areas.
For a few years now, wild bears in Japan have been increasingly encountering people, sometimes even venturing into residential areas. The reasons include the shortage of feed caused by climate change and the decline in the population in Japan’s rural areas. Bears have attacked tourists, entered stores and been spotted near parks and schools. The government announced that it would take greater action against the animals.
Two species of bear live in Japan: the Asian black bear or collared bear and the larger brown bear. Brown bears can weigh half a ton and run faster than humans. Thousands of animals are shot every year, but as the population in Japan ages, there are fewer and fewer hunters. (sda/afp)
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