Azernews.Az

by Alimat Aliyeva

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan has announced new restrictions on the use of portable batteries onboard aircraft, set to take effect on April 24. The measures are aimed at reducing the risk of smoke and fire incidents involving lithium-ion batteries, which can occasionally overheat in confined cabin environments, AzerNEWS reports.

Under the new rules, passengers will be prohibited from using power banks to charge electronic devices during flights, as well as from connecting them to the aircraft’s onboard power systems. The restrictions apply to all types of portable batteries, including spare batteries used for cameras and video equipment.

The Japanese regulator is also revising the carry-on limits for such devices. The rule allowing no more than two batteries per passenger will remain in place, but it will now apply to batteries with a capacity of up to 160 Wh. Batteries with a capacity of up to 100 Wh may still be carried without quantity restrictions, while higher-capacity units will be counted within the overall allowance alongside power banks.

Enforcement of the new regulations will be stricter. Passengers violating the rules will first receive warnings, but repeated or serious offenses may result in fines of up to 1 million yen (approximately 10,691 manats, according to The Japan Times).

Interestingly, similar safety measures are being discussed in other countries as aviation authorities worldwide face an increasing number of incidents involving lithium-ion battery overheating. Some airlines are even testing fire-resistant storage pouches and improved onboard smoke detection systems to further reduce risks during flight.