Japan's bear encounters spur demand for deterrent products

Japan is experiencing a significant increase in bear encounters, leading to a surge in demand for bear protection and safety products. The market has responded with a variety of new offerings, including bear repellent sprays, advanced AI-driven detection systems, and powerful deterrent alarms equipped with flash devices.

One notable product is Kumaichimokusan, a domestic bear spray developed by Biosiense, a Japanese animal drugmaker. Supervised by brown bear biologist Yoshikazu Sato, the spray has a range of about 10 meters and discharges for approximately 10 seconds. It contains over 2% capsaicin, designed to irritate a bear's eyes, nose, and lungs. Yo Okutani, a product developer, expressed hope that the spray will help maintain a safe distance between humans and bears, fostering coexistence.

Pest control company Boujyo Kenkyusho has introduced Ikazuchi, a portable deterrent device resembling a loudspeaker. This device emits 40 different high-pitched sounds at over 120 decibels and features powerful flash equipment. The company also offers Bealert, a subscription-based safety system using security cameras and AI to detect bears up to 110 meters away during the day and 80 meters at night, alerting people to evacuate and emitting deterrent sounds.

To address the issue, the "furusato nozei" hometown tax system has been utilized. Satofull, the operator of the system, opened a special site for municipalities to solicit donations for bear-related measures. Currently, 22 municipalities accept donations, which are used for trapping equipment, electric fences, hunter rewards, and patrol strengthening. Over 80% of participating municipalities reported an increase in bear-related damage, citing challenges such as an aging hunter population, lack of successors, and insufficient budgets for countermeasures.

“

We hope the spray will help bears and humans maintain an appropriate distance, allowing them to coexist safely.