Japan bear attacks: Troops deployed to Akita after record sightings

Japan’s military deployed troops on Wednesday to the country’s northern prefecture of Akita in response to a surge of bear attacks killing at least a record 13 people this year.

TOKYO — Besieged by bears, Japan's north welcomed reinforcements on Wednesday as the military deployed troops to respond to a record wave of attacks.

Bears have attacked about 100 people in the country since April and killed at least 13, according to the Japanese Ministry of Environment, the highest toll over the past decade and a half.

Such incidents have occurred almost daily near populated areas, mainly in the mountainous north. They've taken place near supermarkets, bus stations, schools and even a hot springs resort, prompting local officials to issue safety rules urging residents to stay indoors after dark and steer clear of dense woodland.

CCTV footage of a bear inside a supermarket in Numata, Gunma prefecture, Japan.Gunma Prefectural Police / AFP vis Getty ImagesWith local authorities struggling to cope, the military has now stepped in at their request.

“We recognize that the harm caused by bears is in a critical situation in Akita Prefecture,” military commander Yasunori Matsunaga said Wednesday during a signing ceremony between the defense ministry and authorities in the northern region.