On the frontline: Japan's deadly bear attacks | ABC News

We're going on a bear hunt. These two apprentices are testing their gear before venturing off with veteran bear hunter Katsuo Harada keeping close watch. Their mission is to manage the booming bear population in a vast remote pocket of northern Japan. The work is unrelenting. These bear traps are dotted along the perimeter of the local town. Today, the trap is empty, but they're getting closer. With clear signs, a bear is trying to get to the bait. Just to be sure, the trap is given a good soaking of honey. When a bear is finally captured, it's given a deadly electric shock. It's quick and clean, and they argue, necessary to clearly define bear and human zones. Bear attacks are back in the spotlight after a record year of attacks. There were six fatalities in the year until March, and one suspected fatal bear attack reported in May. Japan's bear population has surged after excessive culling ended in the 1980s. Younger bears are having to fight for food and territory. Meanwhile, Japan's human population is dropping, and the line between human and bear habitat is being blurred. 84-year-old Katsuo Harada knows all too well the power of bears. He's not just a grizzled hunter, but the survivor of an attack 24 years ago. When I went to the hospital, I couldn't help the others. I had to fix their faces. I had to remove their heads. I couldn't see their eyes. They were hanging down. Experts are warning some bears are viewing humans as prey. Katsuo Harada isn't convinced. Bears attack humans because they want to eat. These cages may seem medieval, but the bear cullers maintain they're working, for now at least. The issue is they're paid per bear, making recruitment tough, and the bear population continues to increase, so it's not a sustainable business model. What they want is a permanent system of park ranges so the issue can be managed for decades to come. In that sense, I think it's a job that's needed in every region. I'm 84 years old and I want to quit, but I can't. I can't teach young people the basics. If I don't, young people will be killed. Hunting for harmony. James Oten, ABC News, Sapporo.