As Japan grapples with a record number of fatal bear attacks, a small company in Tokushima Prefecture has developed a new bear repellent spray ¡ª a rare domestic product in a market dominated by imported options.
Biosiense, a veterinary pharmaceutical manufacturer based in the city of Anan, launched the product, called Kuma Ichimokusan (Bears Running Off), in May after roughly three years of research and development.
The concept behind the spray, which uses capsaicin derived from chili peppers, is ¡°coexistence¡± between humans and bears, rather than simple eradication, the company said.
¡°Many types of sprays are on the market, but we want people to choose one that¡¯s truly effective,¡± said Yo Okutani, 40, head of planning and sales at the firm¡¯s Tokyo office and the product¡¯s lead developer.
Okutani, an outdoor enthusiast, began the project out of concern over increasing bear encounters, drawing on his company¡¯s expertise in chili-based products. He conducted repeated trials using capsaicin and partnered with a university for testing.
Field experiments confirmed that brown bears sprayed with the formula fled immediately, wiping their faces and sniffling ¡ª a reaction comparable to that seen with established foreign brands.
The spray has a maximum range of about 10 meters and retails for ?9,900 ($64) including tax, or ?14,080 with a carrying holster ¡ª notably cheaper than many imported competitors, which can sell for as much as ?20,000. A capsaicin-free version intended for practice is also available for ?3,850.
Demand has been strong, according to Okutani. ¡°Almost everything we¡¯ve produced so far is selling,¡± he said. The spray is available through DIY and outdoor gear stores as well as online.
Okutani recommends users stand upwind and spray in a broad S-shaped motion to create a ¡°smokescreen¡± if a bear charges, or aim directly at its face from about 5 meters away if it approaches slowly.
Rather than harming the animals, the goal is to drive bears back into the mountains and maintain a safe distance between them and humans.
¡°I hope this can be a tool that helps people and bears coexist by keeping an appropriate distance,¡± Okutani said.
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