Japan has deployed troops to the northern prefecture of Akita to help contain a surge in bear attacks that have alarmed residents, officials said Wednesday.

Bears have been spotted near schools, train stations, supermarkets, and even hot springs resorts, with attacks reported almost daily, mostly in northern Japan. Since April, over 100 people have been injured and at least 12 killed, according to Environment Ministry data up to October.

Under an agreement between the Defense Ministry and Akita prefecture, Self-Defense Force (SDF) soldiers will assist with setting food traps, transporting local hunters, and disposing of dead bears, but will not use firearms, officials said.

Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Fumitoshi Sato described the situation as urgent, while Akita Governor Kenta Suzuki said authorities were struggling to manage daily attacks due to a lack of manpower. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi emphasized that the SDF’s primary role is national defense, limiting their involvement in the bear response.

Akita, home to about 880,000 people, has been hardest hit, with over 50 attacks since May, resulting in at least four deaths. Recent victims include elderly women attacked while farming or foraging and a newspaper delivery man injured in Akita city. Experts note that most attacks occur in residential areas.

The rising bear problem is linked to Japan’s aging and declining rural population, abandoned farmland, and food sources such as persimmon and chestnut trees. Authorities have set up a task force to issue warnings, conduct bear surveys, revise hunting rules, and train experts to manage bear populations effectively.