Electric bikes have become a reliable and eco-friendly mode of transportation for many in Japan, especially for those in need of an extra push while hauling small children or a load of groceries up a steep slope.

But when police began looking into a case of electric bicycles that broke the legal speed limit, the move caused concern both for sellers and owners of electric bicycles — which have been prevalent in recent years — regarding the laws and regulations surrounding the high-tech bikes.

Here is what happened and the regulations pertaining to electric bikes in Japan:

What was the charge made against the bicycle company?

Kyoto Prefectural Police sent papers to prosecutors on the charge that the Kyoto-based company, which runs bicycle retailer Kyo no Rakusuku, illegally advertised Seagull26 as electric bicycles when they were not allowed to do that, since they exceed the speed limit for electric bikes with motor assistance, in violation of the unfair competition prevention law.

The charge is only for illegal advertisement, and not for selling the e-bikes that can go faster than the allowed limit.

“Ultimately, (the store) deceitfully sold a vehicle that was fraudulently advertised as a bike,” said Hajimu Takisumi, an official with the Kyoto Prefectural Police’s department on traffic violations.

What are the regulations on speed limits for electric bicycles?

According to the road traffic law, electric bicycles should not be able to provide motor assistance to go beyond 24 kilometers per hour for safety reasons. If it does, the bicycle should be classified as a motorbike, which requires drivers to have a license, license plate, brake lights, turn signals and a registration.

"If someone rides that vehicle without proper registration, they could be found in violation of Japan’s regulations," Takisumi said.

In the case of the Kyoto company, the e-bikes had motor assistance capabilities that allowed one to go far beyond 24 kph.

The bicycles were manufactured and imported from China. When the retailer imported them from China, it should have ensured that the e-bikes were certified in terms of safety and traffic laws by the Japan Bicycle Technical Center, which conducts quality tests for bicycles, Takisumi said.

How popular are e-bikes in Japan?

Bicycles, whether electric or not, have been one of the country's most popular means of transportation, especially in cities where stores, schools and offices are within biking distance.

Around 80% of Japanese households had bikes in the 1980s, with domestic bicycle sales reaching their peak in 1992, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. In 1993, Yamaha Motor started selling the world’s first electric bicycle.

Today, sales of bikes have settled down to around 40% of their peak.

Since then, e-bikes have steadily increased their share of the Japanese market, topping normal bicycles for the first time in 2018.

In 2021, the latest figure available, about 790,000 e-bikes were shipped, while the figure for regular bicycles was approximately 530,000, according to the Japan Bicycle Promotion Institute based on industry ministry figures.

On average, e-bikes cost about ¥90,000 ($690), while regular bicycles are about ¥20,000 on average, according to the institute.

But as e-bike sales soar, especially online, purchasers may need to be wary about whether the products they’re buying are in line with Japanese regulations.

Takisumi of Kyoto police said that online retailers should make sure certifications are noted on their websites. However, since there are no regulations dictating what information a retailer should or shouldn’t disclose on an online store, he encourages customers to make sure they question the seller and pay attention to a bike’s certification.