Japan’s Defense Ministry has dispatched military personnel to Akita Prefecture in northern Japan to assist with efforts to control a surge in bear attacks. The operation started Wednesday within Kazuno town, where local teams joined soldiers in trapping and relocating bears that have strayed into populated areas into the wild. The operations are expected to run through to the end of November and expand to other cities like Odate and Kitaakita.
The Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kei Sato has made known the urgency of the case. “As bears continue to invade populated areas in many regions and bear attacks leave injuries increasing daily, we couldn’t afford to postpone any bear countermeasures,” he said during a press briefing.
Bear Attacks Reach Unprecedented Levels Across the Country
Bear attacks have claimed at least 12 lives and injured upwards of 100 persons since April. This makes the total casualties from bear human interactions the highest in Japanese history. Last week the Environment Ministry, in releasing these statistics to the public, further described the crisis late in October.
The Environmental Factor Used for Migration by Bears
These changes, the experts believe, have made a significant contribution to the increased number of bear sightings and bear attacks. Bearing in mind the fact that a dry summer has led to diminished food sources in forests, bears will penetrate more towards human settlements in search of feed.
In some areas, the lack of natural food sources and lowered human activity further encouraged bears to explore new habitats, bringing them into unavoidable conflict with people.
Community Response and Safety Measures
Local governments have responded by setting up steel.barred traps and increasing patrols in high risk zones. Carrying bear bells was encouraged, while walking in pairs was discouraged in forested areas.
Self defense forces change this situation by working very closely with wildlife experts and local government officials to ensure that bears are adequately trapped and relocated. Their presence has ensured comfort to the community that has been struggling to bear with the threat.
Conclusion
The government keeps watching in the case of resorting measures in the future if attacks remain unabated. Long term strategies include habitat restoration and informing the public, as well as improved coordination between environmental and defense agencies.
