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In 2023, around thousand electric power-assist bicycles were sold in Japan. The sales volume of 2023 indicated a decrease of about ** thousand units compared to the previous year. The domestic demand of bicycles in Japan is not covered by domestic production, and is dependent on imports for saturation. Beyond ** bicycles were imported into the country over the same year.

What makes e-bikes popular?

The most common type among Japanese cyclists was the so-called mamachari, which can be loosely translated as 'granny’s bike'. A mamachari is a general utility bicycle, particularly popular among housewives and students commuting to school or running daily errands. In 2023, e-bikes were the second-most newly sold bicycle type. 

When electric power-assist bicycles were introduced to the Japanese market, the main target group was the elderly, who benefitted from having to use less physical strength to navigate their daily life on a bicycle. In recent years, however, parents of preschool children have come to rely increasingly on the practicality of e-bikes when taking their kids to daycare facilities. Generally speaking, the main benefit of motorized bicycles, such as pedelecs, is the convenience they add to everyday life, like running errands or commuting.

While bicycles equipped with self-propulsion systems are considered mopeds in Japan and are, therefore, subject to compliant traffic laws, models using an electric power-assisted system to support the pedaling motion fall legally under the category of bicycles. Looser regulations for certain types of e-bikes are an additional factor contributing to the success story of electric power-assist bicycles in Japan.

What are the risks of electric bicycles?

E-bikes tend to be heavier and, due to their built-in electric motor, also faster than the average bicycle. Such factors can contribute to a heightened risk of road accidents. However, the number of accidents caused by motorized bicycles decreased from over thousand in 2011 to roughly *** thousand cases in 2023. The majority of overall bicycle accidents were caused by road users being negligent towards the traffic situation. Another common reason for accidents and close calls with children was the usage of mobile phones, headphones, or umbrellas while riding a bike.