In December, Japan will begin publishing a list of manufacturers and importers of power banks and other electrical products suspected of violating safety label requirements. The intention is to prevent the spread of dangerous elements that can cause serious accidents, such as fires.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will include in the list companies that do not respond after three or more attempts to contact them by phone and email to verify their compliance with safety standards. The list will be updated quarterly and companies will be removed once connection is established.
The list will serve as a resource for consumers to evaluate the credibility of sellers, as well as for e-commerce operators to decide whether or not to keep the product on their sites.
Previously, information was published on products involved in accidents and manufacturers subject to administrative directives, but only companies suspected of violations were not mentioned.
According to Japanese product safety laws, about 500 types of electrical products are required to display a safety compliance index, known as the PSE mark, before they can be marketed.
In 2024, there were 1,305 serious incidents, such as fires or deaths, caused by products sold to consumers. This number represents an increase of 119 cases compared to the previous year and is the highest in the past 10 years, according to industry reports. Electrical products were responsible for the most accidents, with a significant increase in accidents related to external batteries and vacuum cleaners.
Incidents involving products purchased online have increased seven-fold in the past 10 years, reaching 210 in 2024. Of the incidents where the purchase channel was identified, 32% occurred online.
The Japanese government faces budget constraints to investigate products suspected of irregularities. Since 2020, the Ministry of Industry has required e-commerce website operators to verify advertisements for four product categories, including external batteries and gas stoves. However, this measure is not mandatory, which makes blocking illegal ads difficult.
Also since 2020, Japan has been contacting companies suspected of wrongdoing. When a violation is discovered, the government requires the seller or manufacturer to remove the ad.
However, cases where the presence or absence of a violation could not be confirmed due to non-response were ignored. The ministry opened 750 investigations in fiscal year 2023, of which 109 received no response, making it impossible to take any further action.
Rakuten Group and Line Yahoo prohibit the sale of “power banks” without the PSE branding on their e-commerce sites. Both include product images that clearly show the PSE brand in their advertising for those items.
The two companies stated that if the ministry publishes its list in the future, they will study appropriate measures after confirming the details with the authorities.
On some e-commerce sites where transactions are not done through importing companies, manufacturers can sell directly to consumers. This leads to many cases of products being sold without meeting safety certification requirements, said the Ministry of Industry, which plans to intensify oversight of these sellers with new regulations at the end of December.
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