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Tag - cycling

 
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July 24, 2026
 

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CYCLING

A father carries a child on a <i>mamachari</i> bicycle in September 2018. Parents say the new ¡°blue ticket¡± system has made them more mindful of the rules, but has also heightened concerns about child-seat use and children starting to cycle on their own.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society / FOCUS
May 22, 2026
How Japan¡¯s new ¡®blue tickets¡¯ are putting cycling parents on edge
Parents say the new system has made them more mindful of the rules, but has also heightened concerns about child-seat use and children starting to cycle on their own.
Japan implemented a new system in April that penalizes minor bicycle traffic rule violators with a "blue ticket" that carries a fine of up to ?12,000.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
May 14, 2026
Cyclists issued ¡®blue tickets¡¯ in over 2,000 cases since April 1 rollout
The new tickets incur fines of up to ?12,000 for traffic rule violations, with the aim of improving cycling safety and preventing accidents.
Under the new blue ticket system, cyclists will have one week in which to pay fines for minor traffic violations.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 24, 2026
The language around Japan¡¯s new bike rules leaves no room for ¡®maybe¡¯
Blue tickets are now being issued for minor traffic offenses, but you have to watch you don¡¯t get scammed.
Starting April 1, cyclists in Japan will be subject to new traffic rules.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal / EXPLAINER
Mar 25, 2026
What to know about Japan¡¯s new traffic rules for cyclists
Starting April 1, the ¡°blue ticket¡± system aims to reduce violations by issuing fines for minor offenses such as using a phone while cycling or ignoring stoplights.
About 57% of accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists in 2025 happened on sidewalks or crosswalks, police figures show.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Feb 26, 2026
Japan logs record-high pedestrian-cyclist accidents in 2025
The number of accidents rose by 226 from the previous year, hitting the highest level on record since 2006.
Bicycle helmet use has risen to 21.2% nationwide, up 4.2 percentage points from last year, according to the National Police Agency.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Sep 11, 2025
Number of cyclists wearing helmets in Japan increases slightly, police say
Overall, usage rates have risen by 4.2 percentage points year on year to an average of 21.2%, according to a survey conducted in June.
The National Police Agency has issued a rulebook for cyclists detailing violations subject to fines from April 2026 onward.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Sep 5, 2025
New rulebook for cycling in Japan details fines for minor violations
Traffic offenses that will prompt police to issue tickets for fines on the spot include talking on the phone or staring at it while cycling and railroad crossing violations.
Ichiro Kanai, founder and president of Tokyobike, is developing a niche but a new customer base who want to cycle as part of a lifestyle.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Jul 15, 2025
Tokyobike founder believes in taking in sights of dynamic cities slowly
There¡¯s no use having a wonderful bike if you don¡¯t have a thrilling city to explore, with Tokyobike¡¯s founder believing stylish products can only complement a compelling city.
Bicycle riders will be fined for minor traffic violations starting on April 1.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Jun 18, 2025
Japan to fine riders ?12,000 for using mobile phones while cycling
Fines between ?3,000 ($20) and ?12,000 will be imposed for 113 types of traffic violations.
Members of the Kyoto Prefectural Police department's bicycle patrol unit, known as the Be-Unit, in the city of Kyoto in April
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
May 28, 2025
Kyoto police deploy bicycle squad to crack down on reckless riding
The unit, launched in April last year under the traffic police force, has proven to be agile and effective.
Under new rules, those who use smartphones while riding a bicycle would be subject to the maximum fine of ?12,000.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Apr 24, 2025
Japan set to fine cyclists on the spot for rule violations from 2026
Until now, police have usually responded to cycling violations by issuing verbal warnings or handing out red tickets that?can lead to prosecution.
The head of a child dummy hits the ground after falling from a balance bike on a slope during a simulation conducted by the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Apr 15, 2025
Consumer watchdog warns about the dangers of balance bikes for children
Between April 2019 and December 2024, there were 101 reported accidents involving such bikes.
Chinese police have cracked down on an internet craze that saw thousands of cyclists throng a highway under cover of night to gorge on dumplings in a nearby city.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Nov 12, 2024
China makes a U-turn on night biking, opting to crack down on it
Thousands of cyclists flooded a six-lane highway in China for the chance to ¡°go crazy once.¡±
The Dahon Horize Disc Shimano Altus 8-speed folding bicycle was produced in China and 734 units were shipped to Japan from August 2021 until January of this year by Akibo, the bike's importer.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Nov 12, 2024
Consumer watchdog warns against using faulty Dahon folding bicycles
The warning follows an incident in May where a man suffered severe injuries after his bike frame broke while he was riding.
A cyclist stops to look at an electronic share price board in Tokyo on Sept. 30. From Nov. 1, cyclists who use their cellphones while cycling or ride under the influence of alcohol may be fined or jailed.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Oct 20, 2024
Road traffic law revisions for cycling offenses to kick in next month
Cyclists who use their cellphones while cycling or ride under the influence of alcohol will be liable to fines and imprisonment from Nov. 1.
Cyclists participate in the Tour de Tohoku 2024 on Sunday in Onagawa, Miyagi Prefecture.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Sep 16, 2024
1,300 cyclists participate in Tour de Tohoku 2024
The event is designed to support reconstruction efforts in the affected areas, and participants do not compete for time or rankings but aim to complete the race.
Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar cycles past the Negresco Hotel in Nice, France, on Sunday, during the 21st and final stage of the 111th edition of the Tour de France.
MORE SPORTS
Jul 22, 2024
Pogacar hails ¡®golden age¡¯ after securing third Tour de France title
The victory gave Pogacar the first Giro d¡¯Italia-Tour de France double since Marco Pantani in 1998.
UAE Team Emirates team's Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar cycles to the finish line to win the 15th stage of the 111th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 197.7 kilometers between Loudenvielle and Plateau de Beille, in the Pyrenees mountains of southwestern France on Sunday.
MORE SPORTS
Jul 15, 2024
Pogacar pulverizes opposition at Tour de France
The Slovenian extended his overall lead to more than three minutes on Sunday with a convincing second straight stage win in the Pyrenees.
A test is conducted using a dummy to replicate an accident in which the leg of a child riding on the back seat of a bicycle strikes a pole.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
Jun 21, 2024
Accidents involving children in rear bicycle seats on the rise
They can easily injure themselves on utility poles or guard rails that they can¡¯t see because of the adult sitting in front of them, Japan¡¯s consumer watchdog warns.
A new system under which bicycle riders pay fines for minor traffic violations to escape criminal punishment is expected to be introduced in Japan no later than 2026.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
May 17, 2024
Japan passes bill to introduce ¡®blue ticket¡¯ fines for cyclists
The new system will be applied to offenders aged 16 and above who breach traffic regulations.
Japan scientists identify clusters of protein believed to trigger Alzheimer¡¯s disease
A team of researchers said they found a ¡°seed¡± that accelerates the amyloid beta accumulation process in the brain, naming it ¡°Peak 1 amyloid beta,¡± as seen in a mouse&#039;s brain.
Indian brothers make manga debut in Japan
Two Indian brothers made their manga debut in Japan with "Kung Fu Kung Fool" ¡ª an action-comedy series that follows the adventures of a notorious thief and a young boy.
Japan weighs regulating Pokemon cards amid trading mania
A Pokemon event is held in Jakarta on July 11
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo&#039;s Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
Iran strikes on CIA facilities prompt questions about possible Russian role
Iranian drones are displayed in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13, 2025.U.S. officials have acknowledged that Russia has ?provided targeting ?and other support for Iran in its drone strikes on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf region.
The sci-fi sensibilities of electronic trio Black Boboi
Black Boboi was formed in 2018 when solo artists Julia Shortreed, Utena Kobayashi and Ermhoi came together under Kobayashi¡¯s newly founded label, Bindividual.
A perfect storm: Kaze Fujii fans flock to Fuji Rock
Okayama-born singer-songwriter Kaze Fujii has carved out a distinctive place in Japanese pop since his major-label debut in 2019.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan¡¯s digital nomad visa
Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan&#039;s relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.
Japan reveals hint of new defense spending target in fiscal blueprint
The Self-Defense Forces&#039; Type 16 mobile combat vehicle fires during a joint live-fire drill with U.S. Marines as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercises in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, on June 28.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

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