Residents of northern Japan have been gripped by fear and uncertainty as a record wave of bear attacks has swept through Akita prefecture and beyond, prompting an unprecedented military deployment to help contain the crisis. Since April 2025, at least 12 people have been killed and more than 100 injured in encounters with brown bears and Asiatic black bears, according to the Ministry of the Environment’s statistics at the end of October. The sudden spike in bear-related incidents has left communities on edge, with sightings reported near schools, train stations, supermarkets, and even hot springs resorts.
The government’s response reached a new level on November 5, when Japan’s Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) were dispatched to Akita prefecture to assist in managing the surge of bear attacks. Soldiers, clad in bulletproof vests and equipped with bear spray, net launchers, shields, sticks, and goggles, began operations in the forested outskirts of Kazuno city—an area that has seen repeated bear intrusions and injuries. However, due to Japan’s strict gun laws and a formal agreement between the Ministry of Defense and Akita prefecture, the troops have been instructed not to open fire on the animals. Instead, their mission is to set up box traps baited with food, transport local hunters, and assist in the disposal of bears that have been euthanized by authorized personnel.
“Every day, bears intrude into residential areas in the region and their impact is expanding. Responses to the bear problem are an urgent matter,” Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Fumitoshi Sato told reporters, as quoted by AFP and CBC. The urgency is palpable in Akita, a prefecture with a population of about 880,000, where more than 50 people have been attacked since May alone—at least four of them fatally, according to local government figures.
Recent tragedies have underscored the seriousness of the situation. Over the weekend before the military deployment, a woman in her seventies was found dead after going mushroom hunting in Yuzawa city. In late October, another elderly woman was killed while working on a farm in Akita city. Just days before the troops arrived, a 77-year-old newspaper delivery man was attacked and injured in Akita city, highlighting how the danger is not confined to remote forests but has reached the heart of populated areas. “My heart is broken,” said Takahiro Ikeda, an orchard operator in Kazuno, after bears ate more than 200 apples that were ready for harvest, as reported by NHK and CBC.
Experts point to several factors behind this alarming rise in bear encounters. Japan’s overall bear population is estimated to exceed 54,000, and in Hokkaido, brown bear numbers nearly doubled between 1990 and 2020, according to researchers cited by VICE and France24. Conservation efforts, restrictions on hunting, and a lack of culling have allowed bear populations to rebound. Compounding the issue, a poor acorn harvest in 2025—an essential food source for bears before hibernation—has driven the animals into towns and villages in search of sustenance.
Rural depopulation is another critical factor. As Japan’s countryside ages and its population declines, traditional boundaries between human settlements and bear habitats have blurred. Abandoned neighborhoods and farmlands, often dotted with fruit trees like persimmon and chestnut, attract hungry bears. “Once bears find food, they keep coming back,” experts explain. The shrinking pool of local hunters—many of whom are now elderly and inexperienced in bear hunting—has left communities ill-equipped to respond to the surge. Akita Governor Kenta Suzuki has repeatedly warned that his region “does not have the capacity to fight the animals,” and has welcomed the military’s assistance.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government has scrambled to address the crisis, convening emergency cabinet meetings and promising a special policy package by mid-November. Among the measures under consideration are increasing the number of trained hunters, revising hunting regulations, conducting bear population surveys, and deploying communication devices to issue real-time bear warnings. A government task force was established in late October to coordinate the official response.
For now, the presence of the JSDF has provided some reassurance, but officials stress that the military’s involvement is only temporary. “The army is primarily responsible for defending Japan, and can’t be involved in bear management indefinitely,” said military commander Yasunori Matsunaga at a public ceremony, as reported by VICE. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that while the bear mission is intended to help safeguard daily life, the armed forces cannot offer unlimited support.
In the meantime, local authorities have issued warnings urging residents to stay indoors after dark and to remain vigilant. The psychological toll is evident: a survey conducted by the Japan Meteorological Corporation in fall 2025 found that 77% of hikers now feel anxious or somewhat anxious about hiking due to the spate of bear sightings. About half of those surveyed said they had changed their outdoor plans this year. Hikers and rural residents are increasingly carrying bear bells or radios to deter bears during their excursions.
Even the tools to confront bears are evolving. Bear spray, widely regarded as the most effective deterrent, was previously expensive and difficult to obtain in Japan, often imported from overseas. This year, a domestic company, Tokushima, began manufacturing bear spray locally, making it more accessible to those living in high-risk areas.
Despite these efforts, the bear crisis has exposed deeper challenges facing rural Japan: an aging population, shrinking communities, and the unintended consequences of conservation policies. Experts warn that unless comprehensive measures are taken—combining wildlife management, community safety initiatives, and changes in land use—the threat of bear encounters may persist or even intensify in the years ahead.
As the country awaits the government’s forthcoming policy package, the people of Akita and other affected regions are left to navigate a precarious balance between coexistence with nature and the urgent need to protect human life. For now, the sight of white-helmeted soldiers setting traps in the woods serves as a stark reminder of how quickly the wild can intrude upon the everyday—and how communities must adapt, together, to meet the challenge.
