As per the title, I am thinking of buying an electric kickboard scooter but searching up the rules or laws surrounding said electric scooter is very hard. The only thing that I can find in the best of my abilities is that, it is no longer required to have a licence, helmets is not mandatory and you need to have a “flashing green light” when using/riding it on the pedestrian lane.(but what kind of flashing green light like a flashlight that illuminates green or a green colored tail light)
From what I’ve read so far it is considered as a bicycle already but I’m not so sure and I am very scared to be pulled over since I can almost understand little to no japanese at all. Please someone enlighten me on the laws about “Electric Kickboard Scooter”. Thank you!
For context: I don’t live in any big busy cities and I’m 1 hour away from tokyo.
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\*Also this is irrelevant but just to add, is the new “OnePlus Open” already available here in Japan? and any actual stores that sells “Oled Steam Deck”?
3 comments
[https://www.npa.go.jp/english/bureau/traffic/document/Traffic_Rules_for_Specified_Small_Motorized_Bicycles.pdf](https://www.npa.go.jp/english/bureau/traffic/document/Traffic_Rules_for_Specified_Small_Motorized_Bicycles.pdf)
I believe you must submit a paper showing what dealer you bought it from when registering for the license plate. I thought it was to show that the scooter speed limit or something like that, but I hope Im wrong
>it is no longer required to have a licence, helmets is not mandatory
License and helmets are exempted only for those that comply with new criteria(20km/h max, pedestrian mode with green light indicator, less than 60 cm width, some “safety” sticker). But you must still register it at a city hall and install a license plate.
Plus you are required to be enrolled in “compulsory automobile liability insurance”.
> you need to have a “flashing green light” when using/riding it on the pedestrian lane
Green light rule has a grace period, but idk what happens with private owners when the grace period ends. My understanding is that the grace period mainly targets kick-share operators. So I would suggest you buy only ones with pedestrian mode indicators.
Be careful – there is, for example, Segway-Ninebot D-air which is advertised as compliant with new rules, but you won’t be able to register it, since Segway-Ninebot fucked up with specs, and on top of it does not have a pedestrian mode indicator.
> From what I’ve read so far it is considered as a bicycle already
Nope, it is still considered a motorized vehicle, hence automobile insurance, and pretty strict rules for riding on sidewalks. If you want to buy it for riding around your city, then just buy a Japanese electric-assisted bicycle.
> is the new “OnePlus Open” already available here in Japan?
Nope.
> and any actual stores that sells “Oled Steam Deck”?
Google “komodo authorized retail store”.