TOKYO - With an increase in bear sightings and attacks in Japan, a variety of new bear protection and safety goods and equipment have hit the market.
Bear repellent sprays, artificial intelligence-driven detection systems and deterrent alarms equipped with flash devices are now available.
In May of last year, Biosiense Co., a Japanese animal drug maker based in Tokushima Prefecture, released Kumaichimokusan, a rare domestic bear spray, as such sprays are mostly imported.
Supervised by Yoshikazu Sato, a brown bear biologist and professor at Rakuno Gakuen University in Hokkaido, the spray has a maximum range of about 10 meters and discharges for roughly 10 seconds. It contains over 2 percent capsaicin, an irritant to a bear's eyes, nose and lungs.
The spray is priced at 9,900 yen ($61), including a holster.
"We hope the spray will help bears and humans maintain an appropriate distance, allowing them to coexist safely," said Yo Okutani, a developer of the product.
This year, Boujyo Kenkyusho Co., a pest control company in Gifu Prefecture, introduced a portable deterrent device called Ikazuchi, mainly targeted at local governments and companies.
The device, which resembles a loudspeaker, is sold for 198,000 yen. It emits 40 different types of high-pitched sounds at a volume of more than 120 decibels and is equipped with powerful flash equipment.
The company also offers Bealert, a safety system that uses security cameras and AI technology, for a monthly subscription fee starting at 44,000 yen.
Bealert is installed in locations such as parking lots around mountains and factory entrances. It can detect bears from up to 110 meters away during the day and up to 80 meters away at night. The system alerts people to evacuate and emits deterrent sounds.
In November 2025, Satofull Co., the operator of a portal site for the government's "furusato nozei" hometown tax system, opened a special site listing municipalities that solicit donations to take measures against bears.
The hometown tax system allows taxpayers to donate to municipalities of their choice, receiving tax deductions and regional gifts in return.
Currently, 22 municipalities accept donations through the website, collecting a combined total of roughly 10 million yen. The donations are used to purchase trapping equipment and electric fences, pay rewards to hunters and strengthen patrol measures.
A survey of participating municipalities revealed that over 80 percent had experienced an increase in bear-related damage. The aging of hunters, the lack of successors and an insufficient budget for countermeasures were identified as challenges.
"The number of municipalities considering participation (in the web service) is growing," a spokesperson at Satofull said.
