Tokyo - Japan's Defense Ministry sent troops on Wednesday to the northern prefecture of Akita to help contain a surge of bear attacks that have horrified residents in the mountainous region.

Bears have shown up near schools, train stations, supermarkets and even a hot springs resort, with attacks by the animals reported almost daily across Japan, mostly in the north.

Since April, more than 100 people have been injured and at least 12 killed in bear attacks across Japan, according to Environment Ministry statistics at the end of October. That is the highest number of people killed by the animals in the country in one fiscal year since 2006, when the ministry started compiling the statistics.

"Every day, bears intrude into residential areas in the region and their impact is expan

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