Japan is experiencing a record number of attacks by hungry bears reaching the cities.
Authorities are offering survival advice and considering military aid, it said
What was once a concern reserved for mountain hikers and foragers has now become a problem for urban dwellers as animals leave the forests in search of food, writes The Guardian.
In Akita Prefecture, bears have attacked joggers and pedestrians in residential neighborhoods, while nationwide nine deaths have been reported since April: the highest number in Japanese history.
The increase in the frequency of attacks has prompted central and local authorities to issue new safety advisories and consider additional interventions, including military support.
How to react to a bear
Experts recommend that, in the event of an encounter with a bear, the person remains calm, avoids eye contact and retreats slowly, without turning his back.
Running or climbing trees is prohibited, bears being much faster and more agile.
If the attack becomes unavoidable, the victim is advised to lie on the ground, face down, protecting the head and neck.
A study conducted by Akita University showed that this technique resulted in less serious injuries among the 70 people analyzed.
Preventive measures include wearing bells or whistles, traveling in groups, using repellent spray, avoiding hiking at sunrise or sunset when bears are most active, and avoiding leaving food scraps or other waste in nature.
Ecological and social causes
Researchers attribute the increase in bear encounters to a lack of food, milder winters that delay hibernation, and rural depopulation, which expands the area of contact between humans and animals.
Japan is home to approximately 44,000 Asiatic black bears and 12,000 Ussuri brown bears, most of them in northern regions such as Hokkaido.
Akita Prefectural Governor Kenta Suzuki said he may ask for military support to manage the crisis.
In parallel, the Ministry of the Environment plans to train more hunters and manage the bear population more effectively, while residents resort to their own measures and local shops struggle to cope with the demand for repellent spray.
