Japan government gives tips on bear spray use amid concern over bear attacks

The Japanese government recently released guidelines on how to check the specifications on bear repellent sprays, and properly choose and use them amid a proliferation of ineffective products on the market.With public interest in bear sprays growing as the country faces an increase in bear sightings and attacks, the Environment Ministry and the Consumer Affairs Agency have urged manufacturers and distributors to provide information on the efficacy of their products.Unlike the United States, Japan has no uniform standards for such sprays.According to the ministry and other sources, the main component in a repellent is capsaicin, the active chemical compound in chilli peppers.The concentration of the ingredient should be around 1 to 2 per cent, while the spray should have a range of at least 7.5m and a continuous spray duration of at least six seconds, according to the guidelines.“Some products rebranded for bears were actually made for use against people,” said Shinjiro Sasaki, a ministry official, who recommended that people practise using the repellents.The guidelines urged people not to carry bear sprays unless necessary, to buy products with a safety latch and store them out of reach of children.There were more than 50,000 bear encounters in the year ended March, a record high and double the previous record, according to government data. KYODO NEWS