"That Thing Wakes Up Every Night" ... Suspicious Object Covers Rural Village

Flood of Inquiries from Local Governments and Farmers as Bear Sightings Increase
Surge in Orders for the 'Monster Wolf' That Repels with Sound and Light
Two to Three Month Wait for Installation

In Japan, where frequent appearances of wild bears in residential areas have led to ongoing human injuries, the animal-repelling wolf robot called "Monster Wolf" is gaining significant popularity.

"Installation Requests Flooding In"… 'Wolf Robot' Stands Guard Against Wild Animals

Installation case of 'Monster Wolf'. Ohta Seiki company website

According to the Yomiuri Shimbun and other sources on May 13, Ohta Seiki, a machine parts manufacturing company, announced that orders for "Monster Wolf" have more than tripled this year compared to previous years.

This robot is equipped with an infrared sensor that detects approaching animals, automatically activating a warning system. When wild animals such as bears come near, it emits about 50 different loud noises, at the level of a construction site, chosen at random. It also flashes high-intensity LED lights installed in its eyes to threaten and repel the animals.

The company originally began developing the robot in 2016 to prevent crop damage caused by deer and similar animals and has shipped more than 380 units to date. However, with bears now frequently appearing not only in residential areas but also near city centers, demand has surged. As a result, there is currently a backlog, and it takes about two to three months from order placement to actual installation.

Yuji Ohta, President of the company, stated, "In the past, most orders came from farms, but recently, installation requests are also coming from construction sites and golf courses. This shows just how far bears have encroached into human living areas."

Japan Records Highest-Ever Number of Bear Sightings Last Year

Bear. Pixabay

In fact, bear-related incidents have been occurring one after another throughout Japan. On May 5, in Yurihonjo City, Akita Prefecture, a 48-year-old man working alone in a rice field was attacked by a bear about 1 meter in length and suffered serious injuries to his face and arms. It is reported that the injured man, bleeding, drove himself to a nearby pharmacy to seek help.

On the same day, an accident involving bear-repellent spray occurred at JR Tadotsu Station in Kagawa Prefecture. The spray canister, stored in the backpack pocket of a 43-year-old man waiting for a train, was accidentally discharged after being compressed during contact with another passenger. As a result, eight passengers complained of pain in their eyes and lips and received first aid at the scene, while train operations were delayed for about 34 minutes.

Meanwhile, according to the Japanese government’s statistics for the 2025 fiscal year (April 2025 to March 2026), the total number of bear sightings was 50,776, marking the highest figure ever recorded. This number is more than double the previous record of 24,348 cases in fiscal year 2023. By region, Akita Prefecture had the most cases with 13,592, followed by Iwate Prefecture (9,739), and Miyagi Prefecture (3,559). During this period, 14,720 bears were captured—nearly three times more than the previous year—and of these, 14,601 were killed.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.