Japan Sends Troops as Bear Attacks Surge

Japan is grappling with a surge of bear encounters—more than 100 people injured and 11 killed, a record—as the government prepares to send Self-Defense Forces to Akita Prefecture. Troops will help set box traps and remove carcasses, while local hunters handle extermination. Officials cite scarcity of beechnuts linked to climate change, shrinking rural populations, and rising bear numbers pushing animals into towns, even near Tokyo. Reports range from supermarket intrusions to school and train-track scares; Iwate University shut for two days. Akita’s governor sought aid, saying hunters are exhausted; planning teams will deploy first.