Japan deploys the military in north to battle surge in bear attacks

"The military move on Wednesday comes as these reports of sometimes deadly encounters with brown bears and Asiatic black bears are being documented almost daily before hibernation season, as the bears forage for food. They have been seen near schools, train stations, supermarkets and at a hot springs resort. The growing bear population's encroachment into residential areas is happening in a region with a rapidly ageing and declining human population, with few people trained to hunt the animals."

"Soldiers, however, will not open fire on the bears after the Ministry of Defense and Akita prefecture signed an agreement Wednesday that troops will set box traps with food, transport local hunters and help dispose of dead bears. Every day, bears intrude into residential areas in the region and their impact is expanding, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Fumitoshi Sato told reporters. Responses to the bear problem are an urgent matter."

At least 12 people have been killed and more than 100 injured in bear attacks across Japan since April. Troops were deployed to Akita prefecture to help counter a surge of brown and Asiatic black bear encounters. Soldiers will set box traps with food, transport local hunters and help dispose of dead bears, but will not open fire. Bears have been seen near schools, train stations, supermarkets and a hot springs resort while foraging before hibernation. The bear population is encroaching residential areas in a region with an ageing, declining human population and few trained hunters. An operation began in forested Kazuno city, where soldiers set traps near orchards damaged by bears.

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