As international tourism hits record levels due to a weak currency, Japan is having to deal with a new and rather peculiar problem: motorized suitcases. The format may not be very popular in Spain yet, but in Asia, these electric suitcases, which have wheels, lithium batteries and can travel at speeds of over 10 km/h, have become so common among visitors to Japan that the authorities have taken action.

Police warn that not everyone can operate these systems, and both airports in the country have asked passengers not to use the devices on their premises.

Luggage or vehicle? If you have classic suitcases in mind, the question may seem exaggerated, but when you say “motorized suitcases,” things change. Especially in Japan. These suitcases, which are a kind of hybrid between a suitcase and an electric bike, are so common among visitors that authorities are taking precautions.

According to the Kyodo agency, two airports have asked passengers not to use them on their premises and police have contacted vendors to warn customers of all the requirements they must meet.

Complaints and vetoesThe airports that have advised travelers to avoid electric and motorized suitcases in their terminals are Chubu Centrair in Aichi Prefecture and Kansai in Osaka. They handle tens of millions of passengers between them each year. Their decisions may seem far-fetched, but Kyodo reveals that motorized suitcases have repeatedly forced authorities to intervene in Japan and at least at Narita, an airport near Tokyo, and have also triggered complaints from users.

But… How are they? A hybrid between a traditional suitcase and a type of bicycle or electric scooter, thousands of which can be seen in any airport or station in the world. Modobag or Airwheel advertise various models in their catalogs. In the latter case, for example, the suitcases cost around $800 or $900 and are equipped with a lithium battery, wheels, a carrying bar and an electric motor that allows them to reach speeds of up to 13 kilometers per hour.

Kyodo notes that these can be purchased in Japan for around 100,000 yen (about $640), and the devices, designed for carrying luggage and moving around, have become particularly popular in the rest of Asia. In fact, Japanese authorities have encountered at least two cases of foreigners using them inappropriately.

Walking with a suitcaseThe first of these occurred at the end of March, when a Chinese student was caught riding his motorized three-wheeled suitcase on a sidewalk in Osaka. The case was forwarded to the prosecutor’s office. The same month, an Indonesian boy was found to be in control of a similar device while driving among pedestrians in Dotonbori, Osaka. His family assured him that such suitcases are used everywhere in Indonesia.

Wheeled suitcases… and permissionThe Indonesian family’s shock when they learned their son had broken a rule stems in part from Japanese law’s requirements for motorized luggage.

Kyodo explains that in Japan, these types of suitcases fall into the category of “motorized bicycles” along with small-volume minibikes, so those who use them must meet certain requirements. The agency notes that a driver’s license and safety equipment are required to travel on the roads. They even have to be registered according to their category and insured.

Given the growing variety of personal mobility devices in cities, there are already those in the country proposing to revise the broad category of “mopeds.”

Tourism at record levels. While Japan has been struggling with increasing violations among electric scooter users, Kyodo attributes incidents involving electric luggage to foreign visitors. This nuance is not insignificant, as Japan is facing a major tourism scenario marked by a record influx of tourists due to the weakness of the yen.

The industry has grown to such proportions that, in some particularly busy areas, authorities have taken measures to mitigate its impact. For example, they have started charging climbers to help protect Mount Fuji, set up screens in Yamanashi to prevent crowds of visitors, and even restricted access to the geisha district in Kyoto.

Pictures | Air Wheel Factory 1 and 2

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