With international tourism at record levels due to the fall of the yen, Japan is facing a new challenge, and a peculiar one at that: rideable electric suitcases. These motorized suitcases, powered by a lithium battery and able to travel over 6 miles per hour, have become so popular in Asia among visitors to Japan that the authorities have had to step in.
Police are warning the public that not everyone can drive them, and two airports have asked passengers not to use them in their facilities.
Luggage or vehicle? The question may seem strange if you think of conventional suitcases. Still, things change when we talk about “motorized suitcases,” especially in Japan. There, these devices, a hybrid between a suitcase and an electric bicycle, are so popular among visitors that the authorities have taken measures to prevent their use.
According to Kyodo News, two airports have asked passengers not to use motorized suitcases in their facilities, and police have already contacted vendors to warn customers of all the requirements they must meet.
Click on the image to go to the tweet.
Complaints and bans. The Chubu Centrair International Airport (Aichi Prefecture) and Kansai International Airport (Osaka) have banned rideable electric suitcases from their terminals. The two airports welcome tens of millions of passengers each year. Their decision may seem far-fetched, but the media outlet states that motorized luggage has already forced the authorities to intervene several times. Visitors to Narita International Airport, near Tokyo, have also complained about these motorized suitcases.
But what do they look like? They’re a hybrid between a conventional suitcase, like those you can see in airports or train station, and a kind of bicycle or electric scooter. Modobag and Airwheel advertise several models in their catalogs. For example, Airwheel suitcases, which cost between $800 and $900, are equipped with a lithium battery, wheels, a handlebar, and an electric motor that can reach up to 8 miles per hour.
Kyodo News points out that users can buy them in Japan for about 100,000 yen, roughly $640, and that these devices, designed to carry luggage and move around comfortably, have become especially popular in the rest of Asia. However, authorities have reported at least two cases of foreigners misusing them in Japan.
Riding on a suitcase. The first incident occurred at the end of March when a Chinese student was riding her motorized three-wheeled luggage on a sidewalk in Osaka. Authorities referred her to the public prosecutor’s office. And earlier this month, an Indonesian boy was riding on another similar device while moving among pedestrians in Dotonbori, Osaka. His family claimed that people could use these types of suitcases anywhere in Indonesia.
Suitcases with wheels... and permission. The Indonesian family was astonished when they realized that their son had committed a violation, partly due to the requirements under Japanese law for the use of motorized suitcases.
According to the media outlet, in Japan, these types of suitcases are classified as “motorized bicycles,” along with small-displacement minibikes, so those who use them must meet specific requirements. The news agency specifies that a driver’s license and safety equipment are required to operate them on the road. It even states that users should register these devices due to their category and buy insurance.
With the growing variety of personal mobility vehicles in cities, some in the country are already considering revising the broad category of “motorized bicycles.”
Tourism at record levels. Although Japan has dealt with increased violations among electric scooter users, Kyodo News links these incidents to foreign visitors. The nuance isn’t insignificant, as Japan faces a critical tourism scenario marked by a record influx of travelers attracted by the fall of the yen.
Tourism has reached levels so significant that the authorities have taken measures to mitigate the impact in bustling locations. For example, they’ve begun charging those who climb Mt. Fuji a fee to facilitate its conservation, set up a screen in Yamanashi to prevent crowds of visitors, and even restricted access to the geisha district in Kyoto.
This article was written by Carlos Prego and originally published in Spanish on Xataka.
Images | Airwhell Factory
View 0 comments