Photo/Illutration It is also necessary to protect the head when it comes to dealing with bear attacks while wearing anti-stab gear, says Naoki Sasada, president of Syco Inc., in Kobe on Oct. 29. (Ryuichiro Fukuoka)

KOBE--Syco Inc.'s garment made from aramid fibers and carbon fiber-reinforced plastic are already touted to protect the wearer from a knife attack.

But how about a charging bear? 

Syco President Naoki Sasada is working hard to find out. 

Sasada, 47, found himself in a new business environment recently, following a surge of deadly bear attacks across the nation. 

Anxious inquiries from the public asked, "Can this anti-stab garment also be used to protect against bear attacks?"

Sasada has received at least 10 similar inquiries in the past one month.

He had never expected to be inundated with inquiries from customers wondering whether the protective gear can withstand bear attacks.

Syco, based in Kobe, is a startup founded in 2021 that develops and sells anti-stab clothing.

The company has increasingly received an increased number of inquiries and orders for its products when reports of stabbings across the country hit the news.

But with a growing number of bear-related injuries and deaths, the president decided to develop a bear-proof garment in the next business year.

Syco's anti-stab clothing is deemed capable of stopping a knife attack from an adult male.

But bears are more powerful than adult males.

However, Sasada said no one knows exactly if its existing products can withstand bear attacks.

He needs to collect data and consider standards for the specific use.

And because stab-resistant garments are designed to protect the wearer's chest and torso, it is also necessary to shield the head.

According to a survey conducted by Akita University’s Advanced Emergency and Critical Care Center, 90 percent of bear attack victims suffered facial injuries.

Previously, Syco utilized crowdfunding and other means to raise funds for developing anti-stab garments, while it incorporated customer input into its products.

Thinking that there was a limit in developing the bear-proof gear only with its own expertise, the company announced recently that it would start creating the new product.

It asked research institutes, hunters and other relevant parties to provide data on bears and other information required for the development.

Within days, the company heard from hunters, as well as companies in charge of infrastructure development and construction work in mountains.

"There are people who have to work in mountainous areas even though they are at risk of encountering bears," Sasada said. "I want to explore ways to reduce damage and injuries as much as possible." 

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