Japan government gives tips on bear spray use amid concern over bear attacks — SkimNews
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- Japan's Environment Ministry and Consumer Affairs Agency jointly issued bear spray guidelines, specifying 1–2% capsaicin, a minimum 7.5m spray range, and at least six seconds of continuous spray.
- Bear encounters in Japan reached a record 50,000 in the year ended March, double the previous record, according to government data.
- Japan has no uniform standards for bear repellent sprays, in contrast to the United States, which prompted the new guidelines to help consumers judge products.
- Environment Ministry official Shinjiro Sasaki warned that some products rebranded for bears were originally made for use against people, and recommended consumers practise with the sprays before relying on them.
- The guidelines also warned against carrying sprays unnecessarily, urged buyers to choose products with a safety latch, and called for storage out of children's reach.
Why it matters: With encounters doubling to a record 50,000 and no national standard in place, Japanese consumers have been left to self-evaluate repellents — and regulators found some bear-labelled products were actually human-defence sprays, meaning hikers and residents face real performance gaps the new specs aim to close.
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