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 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.
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