Japan’s Army to fight bears after deadly attacks kill 12

Japan has deployed troops to combat bears after a surge in deadly waves of attacks. 

The development comes after local authorities urged for action as besieged communities were unable to defend themselves against the animals.

Residents have been urged to stay indoors after dark and avoid thick woods to avoid bears who roam around the area for food.

The operation by the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) started in Kazuno, a small town in the country’s rugged North.

Yasuhiro Kitakata, who oversees the town's bear department, has revealed that one of the terrifying things he observed in the recent surge is that bears don’t run away when they hear noise, instead they run towards it.

According to the Japanese Ministry of Environment, 12 people have been killed in over a 100 bear attacks this year since April. 

A record number of bear sightings have been recorded in the Akita region with numbers exceeding 80,000 mark.

Akita’s governor asked for help, stating, “People face danger everyday. It has affected how people live their lives, forcing them to stop going to cancel events.”

The government has previously hired hunters to control the bear population in the area and soldiers will assist in transporting, setting and inspecting steel-barred traps.