Hachioji City Distributes 700 Free Bear Repellent Sprays, Bear Sighting Map App Also Launched

This is an emergency response to protect the safety of residents and children.
Having sprays available at schools and in communities will help with initial response in the unlikely event of an encounter.

Cooperation with the Metropolitan Police Department Intensifies

This response is not limited to Hachioji City alone.
The Metropolitan Police Department has established a "Bear Extermination Response Project Team," and on June 22, officials from the MPD and Hachioji City held a meeting to confirm information sharing.
A broad-area coordination framework is beginning to take shape.

The city plans to draft an Asiatic black bear countermeasure policy outline by July and exchange opinions with the Metropolitan Police Department and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
The full picture of countermeasures involving not just the city but also the metropolitan government and police will become clearer going forward.

The "Hachioji Kuma Map" Developed by a Local Company Also Launches

Digital initiatives by companies within Hachioji City are also getting underway.
Rising Sun Corporation, based in Asahi-cho, Hachioji City, launched a web application called the "Hachioji Kuma Map" on June 2.
It is an unofficial app that compiles open data from the Tokyo Metropolitan Environment Bureau and animal damage information published by Hachioji City on a map.

Users can also submit bear sighting reports, including location, date and time, circumstances, and photos.
Submissions are reviewed by administrators before being posted, and official information and user submissions are displayed separately.
The app also has a feature that calculates the distance from your current location to bear sighting locations, making it reassuring to check before heading out.

Basic Response When Encountering a Bear

This year, bear sightings in Hachioji City have been reported not only in mountainous areas but also in areas close to residential neighborhoods.
In the unlikely event of a bear encounter, keep the following in mind:

• Keep your eyes on the bear and slowly back away
• Do not run (the bear may chase you)
• With bear repellent spray, avoid standing downwind, and when the bear is about 5 meters away, spray toward its face (near the nose and eyes)
• After an encounter, immediately report to the city or police

Preparations such as bear bells and spray are also effective means of preventing encounters in the first place.

Bear Sighting Information and Contact Window in Hachioji City

Hachioji City has had bear sightings in mountainous areas in the past, and continued caution has been required particularly around Mount Takao and the mountainous areas in the western part of the city.
The strengthening of countermeasures this time is based on such a background.

If you spot a bear, please contact the Hachioji City Wildlife Damage Control Division.
Details on the spray distribution status and countermeasure policies will be updated on the Hachioji City official website.

Stay Prepared and Enjoy a Safe Summer in Hachioji

Spray distribution, cooperation with the Metropolitan Police Department, and the development of sighting maps.
Various countermeasures are beginning to move simultaneously.
However, ultimately, it is the awareness and actions of each individual that protect lives.

As the season approaches when opportunities to walk in Hachioji's mountains — such as Mount Takao and Mount Jinba — increase, make it a habit to carry a bear bell and prepare spray.
Regularly check the city's latest information and have a safe summer.

Related Links

• TOKYO MX Report (Hachioji City Bear Repellent Spray Distribution)
• Hachioji City Official: About Asiatic Black Bears
• Hachioji City Wildlife Damage Control Division
• Hachioji Kuma Map (Published by Rising Sun Corporation)