Bear spray surge in Japan sparks safety concerns after accidental discharge

Following a surge in bear attacks in Japan, people are arming themselves with sprays while authorities have started installing cameras in mountainous areas in the north to monitor the animals.

However, a recent effort to stay safe backfired, resulting in five people injured – not by bears but by the spray after it was accidentally discharged in a post office in Nagoya on Wednesday.

Vietnamese national Huynh Nhat Duy, 22, was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of obstruction of business for his actions, Agence France-Presse reported. He apologised and told police that he had discharged the repellent unintentionally.

“Eight people felt sick, and of those five were sent to hospital. But there was no report of serious injuries or illness,” fire department official Ryohei Asano told the news agency.

Anti-bear sprays contain capsaicin, the chemical component in spicy chilli peppers. It can cause irritation and a burning sensation upon contact with skin.

“It’s scary that it happened in a place like this,” a man who saw a woman taken away in an ambulance told Kyodo. The post office, situated about 300 metres from Kanayama station, is in a busy residential area.