{
  "id": 4598003,
  "title": "Bear Repellent Made with Chili Pepper Cultivated in Japan’s Aomori Pref. Sees Surge in Orders Amid More Bear Sightings",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/bear-repellent-made-with-chili-pepper-cultivated-in-japans-aomori",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-31T07:55:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun",
    "slug": "the-japan-news-by-the-yomiuri-shimbun",
    "url": "https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/business/companies/20260831-346345/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "A bear repellent made with bhut jolokia, a super-hot chili pepper cultivated in Japan's Aomori Prefecture, is experiencing a surge in orders due to an increase in bear sightings across the country. The product, named \"Kuma wo Boru\" (meaning \"to chase away bears\" in the local dialect), is manufactured by Eco Work, a company based in Goshogawara, Aomori Prefecture. The repellent is formulated with pyroligneous acid and other natural ingredients, making it environmentally friendly while effectively deterring bears. The product comes in two forms: a plastic bottle for hanging and a solid form that can be carried in a pouch. Orders began to increase about two years ago and reached a record high last year, with a recent rise attributed to frequent bear sightings in urban areas.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}