Photo/Illutration The staff smoking area outside the Yuzawa Grand Hotel in Yuzawa, Akita Prefecture, is closed following a recent bear attack that left an employee injured. (Koki Furuhata)

Amid an alarming rise in bear-related injuries across Akita Prefecture, Governor Kenta Suzuki will ask Self-Defense Forces support for bear control efforts, citing an escalating crisis out of control.

In an Instagram post on Oct. 26, Suzuki described the situation as “extremely serious,” noting that bear attacks have occurred throughout the prefecture.

“The burden on local responders is reaching its limit,” he wrote, adding that he is coordinating a visit to the Defense Ministry to formally submit the request.

However, whether the armed forces will be dispatched remains uncertain.

Suzuki acknowledged that no existing legal framework explicitly allows for SDF deployment in wildlife control, making such a request far more complex than a typical disaster relief operation.

In the meantime, the prefecture is taking emergency measures, including securing additional live traps and distributing bear repellent spray along school routes.

As of Oct. 24, Akita had reported 47 bear-related injuries and two fatalities since April. More than 60 percent of those encounters occurred in October alone.

To raise public awareness, the prefecture designated September and October as a heightened bear safety period, urging residents to carry noise-making items to deter the animals, keep storage doors closed and share sightings within their communities.

Nationwide, bear encounters are also on the rise.

According to The Asahi Shimbun, 172 people were injured or killed by bears between April 1 and Oct. 22, with more than 60 percent of those incidents occurring in residential or urban areas.

Bears are known to inhabit 34 of Japan’s 47 prefectures, particularly in the northeastern regions.

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