Governor Calls for Military Aid Amid Bear Attack Crisis in Akita
In Japan's Akita Prefecture, Governor Kenta Suzuki is seeking military assistance to handle an unprecedented surge in bear attacks. The region is facing a concerning increase in bear encounters leading to rising injuries and fatalities, exacerbated by an aging population and fewer hunters.
- Country:
- Japan
Japan's Akita Prefecture is grappling with an alarming rise in bear attacks, prompting Governor Kenta Suzuki to request the military's intervention. Suzuki, expressing the urgency in an Instagram post, revealed plans to meet with the defense ministry following an attack that left one individual dead and three others injured.
The increasingly frequent bear sightings have jumped six-fold, with incidents surpassing 8,000 this year alone. Local authorities report a troubling increase in bear encounters, escalating from 11 casualties last year to 54 this year, as growing bear populations coincide with rural depopulation.
The challenges are compounded by a lack of qualified hunters in Japan's aging population, a scenario forcing bears closer to human settlements. Akita authorities have reacted by distributing bear-repellent spray along school routes to protect children, seeking to mitigate the risk of further incidents.
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