A Japanese governor on Tuesday called for help from the military to deal with a spate of “truly dire” deadly bear attacks, which have risen to record levels this year in Japan.

Bears have killed 10 people this year, a government official confirmed to AFP, surpassing the previous high of six in the fiscal year that ended in March 2024.

The animals have been increasingly encroaching on towns due to factors including a declining human population and climate change.

Kenta Suzuki, the governor of northern Akita prefecture, told Japan’s defence minister that “the lives of our citizens cannot be protected without the help of the Self-Defense Forces”.

“Attacks targeting the neck and face are extremely common, resulting in a truly dire situation,” he said.

Suzuki said bears now appear not only

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