Over 100 attacks have occurred since April

PublishedNovember 5, 2025 2:30 PM EST•UpdatedNovember 5, 2025 2:20 PM EST

We all know that bears are not to be trifled with, but we usually think of grizzlies in Yellowstone or polar bears in the Arctic. But, even I — a middle school geography bee champion who used to watch Planet Earth a lot — was unaware that there are bears in Japan.

And, boy, are they causing some absolutely shocking problems right now.

According to Reuters, the country has deployed troops to the northern part of the country as local authorities have been unable to keep up with a stunning wave of bear attacks.

But how many are we talking? Three? Four?

How about over 100 with a record 12 fatalities since April?

Horrifying.

Two-thirds of the fatal attacks have occurred in Akita prefecture. There, bear sightings have exploded with more than 8,000, and this is why the nation's Self-Defense Forces have been called into action.

"The townspeople feel the danger every day," Shinji Sasamoto, mayor of the Akita town of Kazuno, said. "It has affected how people live their lives, forcing them to stop going out or cancel events."

This almost sounds like Jaws with bears (that exists, by the way; look up the 1976 movie Grizzly).

I think of all potential animal attacks, bears scare me the most. Not just because they're big and have mouths full of razor blades, but because I still have no idea what you're supposed to do if one has had a bad day and decides to make you a chew toy.

For instance, most people know what to do in the event of a shark attack. You punch it in the nose and gouge it in the eyes. 

With bears? Every piece of advice I've ever heard on what to do if a bear attacks you is contradictory to another piece of advice.

You're supposed to make yourself as big as possible. You're supposed to curl up in a ball and get as small as you can.

You need to be as quiet as possible. You need to blast an air horn right in that bear's face.

Hopefully, the forces deployed to the area can help out because this is one frightening situation.