E-scooter traffic violations remain high in Japan: media

TOKYO, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) — Electric kick scooter traffic violations remain a persistent issue in Japan, despite the relaxation of regulations following revisions to the road traffic law in July last year, local media reported Tuesday.
“Some users have repeatedly violated the law,” Daiki Okai, president of Luup Inc., a Tokyo-based e-scooter sharing service company, told Jiji Press. He suggested that stricter penalties for repeat offenders could help curb such behavior.
Data from the National Police Agency revealed that authorities addressed 25,156 e-scooter traffic violations between July 2023 and July 2024. Over half of these cases involved scooters being illegally driven on sidewalks, according to Jiji Press.
Under current regulations, e-scooters are required to operate on vehicle lanes. However, they may be used on sidewalks if they meet specific conditions, such as maintaining a speed of no more than 6 km per hour.
Okai expressed optimism about reducing violations. Since June 2024, Luup has implemented stricter measures against rule-breaking in collaboration with law enforcement and other organizations. ■