I would expect them to still have to set up the specific rules around the law for things such as how to certify scooters; then manufacturers or service providers would need to do the certification and so on.
There are scooter hire stations popping up around Tokyo, so presumably the companies running them think its legal enough to take the risk.
The bill to revise the Road Traffic Act was passed in April 2022 but the actual implementation is expected to be in 2023 or 2024.
Do note though, that sub-20 km/h scooters are already legal to ride on the road (provided that the necessary conditions are fulfilled which I will elaborate on below), just that they are being treated as a moped (i.e gentsuki class 1 原付一種).
The key revisions to the act are not to address the legality of the scooters (moot point since they are already legal), but rather to define a new specific class of small mopeds called 特定小型原付 (which will be below gentsuki class 1) and its usage conditions such as: no license will be required; wearing helmets will be optional but recommended; you can go on sidewalks, bike lanes etc and a max speed limit of 20 km/h (on roads) and 6km/h (on sidewalks).
Do note that if you want to continue running your existing self-owned scooter as is (i.e riding on roads only, max speed of 30km/h) etc, it will continue to be treated as a gentsuki class 1 and existing rules pertaining to that class of vehicle will apply (no going on sidewalks, license/helmet required etc).
Please note: there are differences between renting an e-scooter (i.e Luup) vs buying/owning one.
As of now, the rental scooter companies are under a special scheme and the rental scooters are treated as a special small class vehicle 特定小型原付 (I think thats the term in Japanese). Based on this scheme, you are under certain conditions which are different to the conditions as set out under a gentsuki class 1 vehicle such as being limited to riding at a max speed of 15km/h, no helmet required etc. I’ll go into the conditions for riding a self-owned scooter below.
Outside of renting a scooter from Luup (say you get your own e-scooter rated below 600W and want to ride on the roads) its treated as a gentsuki class 1 vehicle where **you need to have a license that allows you to ride a moped** (you can ride a gentsuki class 1 if you have a license to drive a car btw)**, a number plate, mandatory insurance (jibaiseki) and you need to wear a helmet** (note: a gentsuki class 2 license is required for scooters rated above 600W; you cannot ride this with just a normal AT/MT car license). You have to follow traffic rules: max speed is 30km/h, scooter has to have signal lights/blinkers/mirrors, you cannot go on sidewalks (btw you can’t on a Luup as well) and expressways, have to generally stick to the left lane and at certain intersections need to do a 2-step right turn as well.
I’m seeing a lot of people riding self-owned e-scooters on roads (non-Luup) nowadays without any number plates, riding on the extreme right lanes instead of keeping to the left, not wearing a helmet etc – won’t be surprised if the traffic police starts cracking down harder on them.
Similar vein of questioning, cause I see them all over the place.
Are non-電動アシスト E-bikes legal or grey area now? E.g. no need to pedal and/or assist over 20km/hr or whatever it is?
If someone did get in a crash with them, compared to a normal E-bike, what’s the difference?
4 comments
Good question.
I would expect them to still have to set up the specific rules around the law for things such as how to certify scooters; then manufacturers or service providers would need to do the certification and so on.
There are scooter hire stations popping up around Tokyo, so presumably the companies running them think its legal enough to take the risk.
The bill to revise the Road Traffic Act was passed in April 2022 but the actual implementation is expected to be in 2023 or 2024.
* [https://clicccar.com/2022/06/15/1194061/](https://clicccar.com/2022/06/15/1194061/)
* [https://clicccar.com/2022/06/15/1194061/ekickboad_newrule_01/](https://clicccar.com/2022/06/15/1194061/ekickboad_newrule_01/)
Do note though, that sub-20 km/h scooters are already legal to ride on the road (provided that the necessary conditions are fulfilled which I will elaborate on below), just that they are being treated as a moped (i.e gentsuki class 1 原付一種).
The key revisions to the act are not to address the legality of the scooters (moot point since they are already legal), but rather to define a new specific class of small mopeds called 特定小型原付 (which will be below gentsuki class 1) and its usage conditions such as: no license will be required; wearing helmets will be optional but recommended; you can go on sidewalks, bike lanes etc and a max speed limit of 20 km/h (on roads) and 6km/h (on sidewalks).
Do note that if you want to continue running your existing self-owned scooter as is (i.e riding on roads only, max speed of 30km/h) etc, it will continue to be treated as a gentsuki class 1 and existing rules pertaining to that class of vehicle will apply (no going on sidewalks, license/helmet required etc).
Please note: there are differences between renting an e-scooter (i.e Luup) vs buying/owning one.
As of now, the rental scooter companies are under a special scheme and the rental scooters are treated as a special small class vehicle 特定小型原付 (I think thats the term in Japanese). Based on this scheme, you are under certain conditions which are different to the conditions as set out under a gentsuki class 1 vehicle such as being limited to riding at a max speed of 15km/h, no helmet required etc. I’ll go into the conditions for riding a self-owned scooter below.
Outside of renting a scooter from Luup (say you get your own e-scooter rated below 600W and want to ride on the roads) its treated as a gentsuki class 1 vehicle where **you need to have a license that allows you to ride a moped** (you can ride a gentsuki class 1 if you have a license to drive a car btw)**, a number plate, mandatory insurance (jibaiseki) and you need to wear a helmet** (note: a gentsuki class 2 license is required for scooters rated above 600W; you cannot ride this with just a normal AT/MT car license). You have to follow traffic rules: max speed is 30km/h, scooter has to have signal lights/blinkers/mirrors, you cannot go on sidewalks (btw you can’t on a Luup as well) and expressways, have to generally stick to the left lane and at certain intersections need to do a 2-step right turn as well.
I’m seeing a lot of people riding self-owned e-scooters on roads (non-Luup) nowadays without any number plates, riding on the extreme right lanes instead of keeping to the left, not wearing a helmet etc – won’t be surprised if the traffic police starts cracking down harder on them.
Similar vein of questioning, cause I see them all over the place.
Are non-電動アシスト E-bikes legal or grey area now? E.g. no need to pedal and/or assist over 20km/hr or whatever it is?
If someone did get in a crash with them, compared to a normal E-bike, what’s the difference?