Bear Attacks Prompt Aircraft Mold Maker to Fabricate Bells; First Batch Sells Out

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:32 JST, November 21, 2023

KOMAKI, Aichi — A mold and die maker in Komaki, Aichi Prefecture, has started crafting bear bells amid a spate of bear attacks across the country, and made some satisfied customers.

Daiki Seiko Co. specializes in molds for precision aircraft parts, but launched the bell side project in August.

The 6-centimeter-tall bell with a 4 centimeter diameter is made of hard aluminum and weighs only 35 grams. Its high-pitched sound is said to reach distant bears.

The first batch of some 200 bells has sold out, but the company plans to make another 100.

“We want to get them to people having trouble with bears,” the company’s President Hirokazu Saito said.

The bells cost ¥9,350 (tax included) and are available on crowdfunding site Makuake until Dec. 30.