The governor of Akita Prefecture in Japan, Kenta Suzuki, on Tuesday appealed to the government to send the army to address the problem of increasing bear attacks, LETA reports citing AFP.
According to official estimates, this year in Japan, a record number of people — ten — have died as a result of bear attacks. In the previous fiscal year, which ended in March 2024, six people were killed by wild animal attacks.
Recently, bears have increasingly appeared in cities. This is attributed to the declining population and climate changes.
The governor of Akita informed the Japanese defense minister that "without the help of the Self-Defense Forces, we cannot ensure the safety of our citizens."
"Attacks have become extremely frequent, and the situation is indeed extremely serious," noted Suzuki.
According to him, bears are appearing not only in the mountains but also in populated areas, which seriously disrupts people's daily lives. "This is abnormal," added the governor.
In response, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi stated that the government "will fully utilize its capabilities and authority" to restore safety.
A representative of the Ministry of the Environment, who monitors bear attack cases, confirmed to AFP on Tuesday that the death toll has reached ten. The latest victim was a person who died last week in a mountain village in Akita Prefecture.
However, this data does not include recent incidents, which are also believed to be related to animal attacks.
On Monday, a dead woman was found near rice fields in Akita Prefecture, and in the neighboring Iwate Prefecture, a man and his dog were found dead. Local media reported that there were signs of an attack on the bodies.
Bears have attacked tourists, entered stores, and appeared near schools and parks, especially in the northern regions of the country.
Every year, thousands of bears are culled in Japan. However, due to the aging population, the number of hunters is declining, complicating the fight against wild animals.
