Record Bear Attacks in Japan: 11 Dead, Over 100 Injured; Military Deployment to Akita Imminent

By Ogunbayi Beedee Adeyemi October 29, 2025
adeyemi@ddnewsonline.com

Japan is on high alert as bear attacks reach unprecedented levels, with 11 fatalities and more than 100 injuries reported nationwide this year the deadliest on record since tracking began in 2006. In a dramatic escalation, the government is preparing to deploy the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) to Akita Prefecture, one of the hardest-hit regions, to assist in trapping and potentially culling the aggressive animals.

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The surge, driven by food scarcity from a poor beech nut harvest and climate change impacts, has prompted Akita Governor Kenta Suzuki to seek military aid directly from Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi. “The situation has overwhelmed local resources,” Suzuki stated during a Tokyo press conference on Tuesday, following a weekend visit to the capital. He highlighted over 8,000 bear sightings in Akita alone a sixfold increase from 2024 and more than 50 injuries, including two deaths.

In neighboring Iwate Prefecture, over 30 people have been killed or injured since April, with a body bearing bear-inflicted wounds discovered at a residential site on Monday. Environment Ministry data confirms 10 deaths as of Friday, with the 11th pending verification, surpassing the previous record of five in fiscal 2023-24. Injuries, often involving deep claw gashes and bites, have topped 100, up from 80 last year.

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Experts attribute the spike to warmer winters delaying hibernation and failed acorn crops pushing Asiatic black bears and Hokkaido brown bears toward human settlements. “Bears are less fearful of people than before, compounded by an aging hunter population,” noted a study from Akita University, which surveyed 70 survivors and recommended protective postures like lying face-down and shielding the neck to minimize severe harm.

Under Japan’s Disaster Relief Law, the SDF’s role will initially focus on logistics: transporting carcasses, setting up large box traps, and coordinating with understaffed hunters. Koizumi clarified during a briefing that extermination falls outside military purview, emphasizing planning over immediate culls. A team of army officers is slated to arrive in Akita by week’s end to assess and deploy, marking a rare non-combat use of Japan’s pacifist forces.

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Suzuki’s plea underscores broader challenges: Japan’s rural depopulation leaves aging communities vulnerable, while hunter numbers dwindle only about 20,000 licensed nationwide. Local measures, like distributing bear-repellent spray and installing electric fences, have proven insufficient. “We’ve trapped hundreds, but sightings persist,” the governor admitted.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, addressing the crisis in parliament, vowed enhanced funding for wildlife management in the 2026 budget, including incentives for young hunters and AI-monitored cameras in forests. “This is a national emergency threatening lives and livelihoods,” Ishiba said.

Amid the panic, authorities have rolled out bear-attack survival guides, urging citizens to “fight back” with sticks or noise-makers rather than fleeing contrary to wolf protocols. Akita’s study found all seven respondents who adopted a defensive curl escaped serious injury. Apps for real-time bear alerts and community patrols are gaining traction, while some resorts now offer “bear-proof” tours.

Environmentalists caution against mass culls, warning of ecological imbalance. “Bears are part of our biodiversity; we must address root causes like habitat loss,” said a representative from the Japan Wildlife Research Center. Yet, public sentiment leans toward action: Polls show 72% support for military involvement.

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As winter looms, forcing more bears into torpor, experts predict a temporary lull but warn of a rebound next spring without systemic fixes. For Akita’s 880,000 residents, the SDF’s arrival can’t come soon enough, transforming a pastoral prefecture into a frontline in Japan’s wildlife war.

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