Government launches new plans, army to help
Japan faces its worst brown bear crisis in decades, with at least 12 victims since last April and over 8,000 sightings in Akita Prefecture alone, where three people have lost their lives.
Faced with the escalation of incursions into urban settlements – including schools and residential neighborhoods – the government has convened a ministerial meeting in recent days to define a strengthened package of countermeasures by mid-November. The head of the Cabinet, Minoru Kihara, defined the situation as “a serious threat to public security”, after the Minister of Defense, Shinjiro Koizumi, and the Minister of the Environment, Hirotaka Ishihara, highlighted the chronic shortage of qualified personnel, including hunters and specialized operators to manage the catches.
Despite the measures launched in 2024, in fact, attacks remain at record levels. In this context, the Land Self-Defense Forces (GSDF), at the request of governor Kenta Suzuki, are preparing to intervene on an experimental basis in the prefecture of Akita, unable to deal with the crisis with local forces alone. The logistical help, the transport of traps and materials, does not involve the direct killing of the animals, but represents a significant precedent. If the Akita model were to prove effective, analysts observe, other local administrations in northern Japan could ask for the support of the armed forces, marking a turning point in the management of environmental emergencies, which implies a redefinition of the role of the Self-Defense Forces.
According to the Ministry of the Environment, only two species of bears live in Japan: the black bear present in Honshu – which is the main island of the country, and in Shikoku; while the brown bear has its habitat in Hokkaido, the northernmost island of the archipelago. Akita Prefecture is located northwest of Honshu.
