Japanese e-scooter riders will not need license from July

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Japanese people would not require any license to use electric scooters from July of this year, the country’s National Police Agency announced on Thursday.

“The new rules apply to scooters with a maximum speed of 20 kilometers per hour, and riders must comply with the same traffic rules as bicycles, including not riding on sidewalks. Scooter riders are advised to wear helmets, although it is not compulsory,” the agency said.

However, minors under the age of 16 will be prohibited from riding electric scooters.

This comes after the Japanese parliament amended the law last April.

According to Kyodo News, the two-wheeled electric scooters “have been attracting a growing number of users in Japan, especially in metropolitan areas.”

At the same time, there has been an increase in road accidents and traffic violations.

Under the new guidelines, e-scooters have to be equipped with green lights at the front and back, “which must be illuminated while driving on roads and bicycle lanes and must flash while on sidewalks.”​​​​​​​