Japan has begun deploying Self‑Defense Force personnel to northern prefectures after a sharp rise in bear attacks that have caused 12 deaths and over 100 injuries since April. Troops will not carry firearms but will use non‑lethal equipment and provide logistical support, including transporting traps and hunters. The government, led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, will present a policy package by mid‑November to boost rapid response capacity and address the underlying causes of growing human‑bear conflict.
Japan Deploys Self‑Defense Troops to Northern Prefectures After Deadly Surge in Bear Attacks
Japan has begun deploying Self‑Defense Force personnel to northern prefectures after a sharp rise in bear attacks that have caused 12 deaths and over 100 injuries since April. Troops will not carry firearms but will use non‑lethal equipment and provide logistical support, including transporting traps and hunters. The government, led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, will present a policy package by mid‑November to boost rapid response capacity and address the underlying causes of growing human‑bear conflict.
10:37, 06.11.2025Society
Japan sends Self‑Defense Forces to tackle rising bear attacks
Japan on Wednesday began deploying Self‑Defense Force (SDF) personnel to northern prefectures that have been hit by a recent surge of bear attacks, incidents officials say have reached record levels this year. The wave of attacks has resulted in 12 deaths and more than 100 injuries since April.
New Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration is racing to assemble a special policy package to address the crisis. The cabinet convened a special meeting last week and pledged to present measures by mid‑November, with early plans likely to include increasing the number of qualified hunters who can be mobilised to respond quickly to urgent situations, such as bear sightings in residential areas.
Troops to provide non‑lethal, logistical support
Because Japan enforces strict gun controls, the deployed SDF personnel will not carry firearms nor be authorised to shoot bears as part of their mission. Instead, the defence ministry said troops will be equipped with non‑lethal tools — including bear spray, batons, shields, protective goggles, bullet‑proof jackets and net launchers — and will focus on restoring a sense of safety in alarmed communities.
The SDF has agreed to provide logistical assistance to affected rural districts, including transporting bear traps, moving hunters to hotspots, and helping to relocate or carry away captured animals. On Wednesday, a team of 15 soldiers was dispatched to Kazuno city in the hard‑hit Akita prefecture to assist local authorities in relocating a trap.
Why attacks are rising
Experts say a poor acorn harvest this year has driven an expanding bear population into towns in search of food, with northern prefectures such as Akita and Iwate among the worst affected. Researchers also cite rural depopulation and the abandonment of farmland, which have blurred former boundaries between human settlements and bear habitat and encouraged bears to extend their range toward residential neighbourhoods.
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kei Saito emphasised that the military’s primary responsibility remains national defence, but said SDF forces can assist civilian agencies where possible. Akita governor Kenta Suzuki, who has repeatedly warned that his prefecture lacks the capacity to confront the animals alone, welcomed the deployment and thanked the troops for their support.
"By coordinating efforts with local municipalities, I hope to assist the activities of the Self‑Defense Force troops," Suzuki said at a signing ceremony in Akita to mark the start of the programme.
The government’s forthcoming policy package aims to combine short‑term emergency responses — such as mobilising hunters and expanding trap deployment — with longer‑term measures to reduce human‑wildlife conflict as changing food supplies and demographic trends reshape interactions between bears and communities.