Japan’s Self-Defense Forces have been deployed to the mountainous north to help trap a surge of bears that have killed 12 people and injured dozens this year. In Akita Prefecture’s town of Kazuno, residents have been warned to avoid forests, stay home after dark, and carry bells to deter the bears. Record sightings and abandoned farmland have pushed local authorities to request military support, with troops assisting in transporting and setting traps while trained hunters carry out culling operations. Officials warn that despite precautions, the high bear population continues to make incidents inevitable.
