Japan cracks down on rideable suitcases

The growing popularity of rideable electric suitcases to get people quickly around airports and train stations has alarmed Japanese authorities following a rise in incidents of foreign visitors using them illegally on public roads.

A rideable suitcase, particularly popular in parts of Asia, has a built-in electric motor, is powered by lithium-ion batteries, and can travel about ten kilometers per hour. The convenient device alleviates the burden of carrying your luggage and gets you from point A to point B at speeds comparable to a motorized scooter.

‘Motorized vehicle’

Under Japanese traffic law, rideable suitcases are categorized as “motorized vehicles that can be ridden on roads only with the required safety equipment and a driver’s license”. They are not allowed on sidewalks – only pedestrians and cyclists are – since vehicles on sidewalks are restricted to travel at a maximum of 6 km/hour or less.

Recently, a Chinese woman in Osaka found out the hard way that her time-saving device got her into trouble with local authorities. In March of this year, she was riding an electric suitcase without a license in Osaka’s Konohana ward. For her part, the woman didn’t think the suitcase constituted a vehicle and thus didn’t think she’d need a license.

Generally, riding a vehicle without a license in Japan can result in a three-year prison sentence and a fine of up to 500,000 yen (USD $3,108). Media reports didn’t specify what penalties the woman possibly faces.

Banned on two airports

Recently, two major Japanese airports – Chubu Airport Centrair International Airport in Aichi Prefecture and Kansai International Airport in Osaka – have asked travelers not to ride them within their facilities to avoid accidents.

Also, police are urging domestic retailers to warn customers of the strict laws concerning their use, concerned that foreign visitors are unfamiliar with the rules.

New classification?

Advancements in motor and battery technologies have led to the emergence of new mobility devices. However, Japan has struggled to deal with these new forms of transportation lately. The country has seen a sharp increase in electric scooter accidents since a traffic law revision in July 2023 allowed their use without a driver’s license. The loosened regulations allow people over 16 to ride them without a driver’s license, and they are now a common sight in big cities like Tokyo.

“Unexpected new forms of transport will continue to emerge,” said Takeru Shibayama, a senior scientist at the Vienna University of Technology’s Institute for Transportation. Given the range of vehicles that fall under the category of motorized bicycles in Japan, the country needs to discuss “whether a new classification should be established” to deal with electric suitcases, he added.