"Japan Cracks Down on Chinese-Made Portable Batteries...World's First Mandatory Third-Party Safety Inspections"

Tighter Regulations Following a Series of Fires

Full Implementation Targeted for Early 2028

Mandatory PSE Certification Instead of Manufacturer Self-Inspection

As fires involving Chinese-made portable batteries continue to occur, the Japanese government is significantly tightening its safety regulations.

Photo for article understanding. Getty Images

According to the Yomiuri Shimbun on the 24th (local time), Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has decided to amend regulations under the Electrical Appliances and Materials Safety Act to make inspections by "third-party professional institutions" mandatory. The aim is to preemptively block low-quality, defective products circulating in the market and to move away from the current system of relying on manufacturers' own inspections.

Once the amended bill takes effect, only products that have passed inspection by a third-party institution certified by the National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE) and obtained the "PSE mark," which certifies a high level of safety, will be allowed to be distributed in the market.

Mandating third-party inspections for portable batteries is a robust measure not seen even in the United States or Europe.

The Japanese government plans to begin relevant subcommittee discussions at the end of this month and aims to complete the legal revisions within this year. After a one-year grace period, full implementation is expected to begin, with the actual enforcement likely around early 2028.

Rapidly Increasing Battery Fires...The Cause: Defective Parts from China

A scene filled with smoke from a fire caused by a Chinese auxiliary battery on an Air China flight from Hangzhou to Seoul in October 2025. Photo by CNN

This measure is a response to the sharp rise in portable battery fire incidents within Japan. According to NITE's statistics, the number of such cases increased from 51 in 2021 to 192 in 2025—a nearly fourfold jump over four years.

Earlier this month, an incident involving a portable battery fire on the Osaka subway interrupted train operations. Since April, all use of portable batteries has been prohibited onboard aircraft, and passengers are limited to bringing a maximum of two units per person.

Currently, the majority of portable batteries distributed in Japan are made in China, and cases of ignition due to high temperatures or strong physical impact are frequent. Experts point to manufacturing process defects, such as faulty electrodes, as the main causes.

Overcharging beyond battery limits is also cited as a reason for fires. In a 2025 survey by the Korea Consumer Agency, it was found that 4 out of 12 Chinese-made lithium-ion portable batteries had their protective circuit components damaged when overcharged.

Korean KC Certification System Exists, but Regulatory Loopholes Remain

KC certification mark and safety confirmation report number displayed on the product. Screenshot from the Korea Consumer Agency website

In Korea, lithium-ion portable batteries distributed to the market must obtain KC certification (Safety Confirmation) in accordance with the Act on the Safety Management of Electrical and Household Products. Consumers can check for authenticity using the KC mark and the Safety Confirmation Report number shown on products via the product safety information center operated by the Korea Agency for Technology and Standards under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The Safety Confirmation Report number consists of two English letters, followed by a 5- to 6-digit number, another 5-digit number, and letters again. However, some products with a rated capacity of 2,000 mAh or lower and low energy density are exempt from these safety regulations.

However, the KC certification system in Korea centers on documentation: manufacturers or importers submit a "test report" from a designated test institution to the government, rather than conducting real-time comprehensive inspections. This structure makes it difficult to detect in advance certain fraudulent practices, such as submitting high-quality "Grade A samples" for initial certification but later switching to cheaper, lower-quality components for actual market distribution in an effort to reduce costs.

The distribution of overseas direct-purchase products that have not undergone any quality verification, taking advantage of certification exemptions and undercutting prices, is also an issue. In fact, from 2021 to July 2025, there were 130 cases of portable battery explosions or fires reported during charging through the Korea Consumer Agency’s Consumer Injury Surveillance System (CISS).

As incidents of battery fires occur regularly in public facilities such as subways and airplanes in Korea, attention is focused on whether Japan's proactive move to make third-party inspection mandatory will influence discussions on strengthening local safety standards and regulating the distribution market.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.