🛴 Electric scooters are zipping through Tokyo—and not everyone is happy about it. LUUP, Japan's largest e-scooter sharing service, just hit a milestone: full coverage across all 23 of Tokyo's special wards. With over 16,000 ports and 5 million app downloads, it's the biggest micro-mobility network in the country. But as Paris banned shared scooters and safety debates rage worldwide, how is Japan handling its own two-wheeled revolution?
From Shibuya to the Suburbs: LUUP's Citywide Expansion
On February 5, 2026, Luup Inc. announced the deployment of new ports in Edogawa, Katsushika, and Adachi wards—the final three of Tokyo's 23 special wards to receive the service. Starting February 9, riders across the entire metropolitan core can rent electric kick scooters, electric-assist bicycles, and the newly introduced electric seat boards through the LUUP smartphone app.
The expansion marks a significant chapter for a company that started with a handful of e-bikes in Shibuya back in May 2020. In less than six years, LUUP has grown from a small pilot project into a nationwide network spanning over 16,000 ports across Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama, Kyoto, Nagoya, Kobe, Hiroshima, Sendai, Fukuoka, Sapporo, and several other cities. Vehicle count has surpassed 30,000 units, and the app has been downloaded more than 5 million times.
The newly served eastern Tokyo neighborhoods—characterized by residential communities, lively shopping streets, and limited north-south transit options—represent exactly the kind of area where LUUP sees the greatest potential. The company's stated mission is to "turn every neighborhood into a station front" by filling gaps in Japan's otherwise excellent public transportation network.
How LUUP Works: Quick, Cheap, and App-Based
Using LUUP is straightforward. Download the app, register a credit card and (for e-scooter users aged 16+) upload an age verification document, then pass an in-app traffic rules quiz. Find a nearby port on the map, scan the QR code on the vehicle, and ride to any other port in the network.
Pricing is simple: a base fare of about $0.35 plus roughly $0.10 per minute. A typical 15-minute ride to a train station costs around $1.85—cheaper than a taxi and faster than walking. Insurance covering personal injury and third-party liability is included in every ride.
The fleet includes three vehicle types: electric kick scooters (max 20 km/h, roughly 12 mph), electric-assist bicycles, and the newer electric seat boards—seated scooters with baskets designed for a broader range of riders, including those less comfortable standing.
The Safety Storm: Accidents, Backlash, and Reform
LUUP's growth has not been without controversy. In fact, it may be one of the most polarizing urban mobility topics in Japan right now.
When Japan's revised Road Traffic Act took effect in July 2023, it created a new vehicle category called "specified small motorized bicycles" (tokutei kogata gendōki tsuki jitensha). This allowed anyone 16 or older to ride e-scooters on public roads without a driver's license—a significant departure from Japan's traditionally strict traffic regulations.
The results were dramatic. In the first year after the law change (July 2023 to June 2024), police recorded 25,156 traffic violations and 219 accidents involving e-scooters—a 5.3-fold increase compared to 2022. Most disturbingly, 17% of e-scooter traffic accidents during the first half of 2024 involved drunk riding, compared to just 1% for bicycles and mopeds.
High-profile incidents fueled public anger: a rider ran onto an expressway, others blew through red lights in busy intersections, and pedestrians reported near-misses on sidewalks. On social media, LUUP became a lightning rod for criticism, with many Japanese people calling for stricter regulation or even an outright ban.
Luup responded with a comprehensive safety overhaul in early 2025. The company introduced LUDAS (LUUP Dangerous Action Detection System), a GPS-based system that monitors riding behavior and flags violations like riding in prohibited zones or going the wrong way on one-way streets. Riders caught violating rules receive warnings or account suspensions. The in-app traffic test was expanded from 11 to 14 questions with randomized order to prevent cheating, and all existing users were required to retake it by June 2025.
The company also partnered with the Shibuya Ward government on the "Shibuya Safe Ride Project" and began working with police on targeted safety awareness campaigns. Port placement standards were tightened after incidents where ports blocked fire equipment access points and water meter covers.
The Global Context: A Worldwide Tug-of-War
Japan's experience mirrors a global debate. Electric scooter sharing services have been both celebrated as green urban solutions and condemned as safety hazards in cities around the world.
The most dramatic case is Paris, where shared e-scooter rentals were banned outright after a September 2023 referendum. Following three fatalities and hundreds of injuries in a single year, 90% of voters chose to end the service—though only about 8% of eligible voters actually participated. Since the ban, Paris has seen a surge in electric bike-sharing usage instead.
Singapore banned e-scooters from sidewalks entirely. South Korea requires helmets and licenses for riders. In Italy, accident statistics jumped 15% in a single year, prompting new rules treating scooters more like mopeds. Barcelona made helmets mandatory for all e-scooter riders in February 2025.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands—long skeptical of e-scooters—only began allowing them on public roads in mid-2025 under strict licensing and registration requirements.
In this global context, Japan's approach stands out for its relatively permissive regulation combined with industry-led safety measures. The no-license requirement and 16-year minimum age make Japan one of the more accessible markets, which both expands ridership and raises the stakes for safety.
Beyond Scooters: LUUP's Vision for Urban Infrastructure
LUUP positions itself not just as a scooter rental company, but as urban infrastructure. The "LUUP for Community" program, launched in 2024, allows municipalities and businesses to customize and operate LUUP fleets for their specific needs—setting their own pricing, coverage areas, and vehicle types.
This is particularly relevant for Japan's aging rural communities, where bus routes are being cut and elderly residents struggle with transportation. Luup is developing "universal vehicles"—three- or four-wheeled seated models designed for riders of all ages and abilities.
The company's port-based model also sets it apart from the dockless systems that caused clutter problems in many Western cities. Every ride starts and ends at a designated port, typically located on private land with the property owner's consent—reducing the sidewalk chaos that contributed to backlash in cities like Paris.
The Numbers Behind the Debate
The contrast in Japanese public opinion is striking. A Yahoo News poll on the day of the 23-ward expansion announcement found that 87.9% of respondents said they had "absolutely no interest" in LUUP, while only 4.3% were "very interested." Yet the 5 million app downloads and growing ridership tell a different story—suggesting a vocal majority of non-users exists alongside a dedicated but quieter user base.
This disconnect highlights a broader tension in Japanese society between innovation and order. Japan's streets are famously well-regulated, and the sight of scooters weaving through traffic strikes many as fundamentally un-Japanese. At the same time, younger generations in Tokyo increasingly see e-scooters as a natural extension of their smartphone-centric lifestyles.
What's Next: Coexistence or Confrontation?
The coming months will be critical. With LUUP now covering all 23 wards, the sheer volume of scooters on Tokyo streets will increase—and with it, both the benefits and the problems. The effectiveness of LUDAS and other safety measures will face a real-world stress test.
Japan's approach represents something of a middle path in the global micromobility experiment: neither the permissiveness that led to chaos in some European cities, nor the heavy-handed regulation that stifled adoption elsewhere. Whether this balance holds will depend on whether safety improvements can keep pace with expansion.
One thing is clear: micromobility is here to stay, whether on two wheels, three, or four. The question isn't whether cities will have these vehicles—it's how they'll learn to share the road.
In your country, how are electric scooters regulated? Have shared e-scooter services changed how people get around in your city? We'd love to hear how different countries are navigating this global urban transportation challenge.
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Reactions in Japan
I get that LUUP covering all 23 wards is convenient, but... is there really demand in residential areas like Adachi or Katsushika? It's basically a service for downtown businesspeople, right?
As someone who uses it for my daily commute, I can't imagine life without LUUP anymore. The 20-minute walk from the station to my office is now 5 minutes. Saving a lot on monthly transport costs too.
I laughed at the 87.9% 'no interest' figure. Of course. For pedestrians it's nothing but a nuisance. Allowing people to ride on public roads without a license is absurd in the first place.
A LUUP port was set up right in front of my apartment and honestly it's annoying. There's clanking noise at night, and vehicles parked sticking out of the port block the walkway.
Too many people don't know it got banned in Paris. People died in accidents and we're just pushing through because 'it's convenient'? Japan should hold a referendum too.
Rode LUUP for the first time on a date last weekend and it was so much fun! The feeling of the wind while riding was refreshing. My girlfriend loved it too 🛴✨
I'm a taxi driver. Honestly, electric scooters scare me. They suddenly dart into traffic and running red lights is an everyday thing. What happens with fault allocation when there's an accident?
I'll give them credit for introducing LUDAS, the dangerous behavior detection system. But only 16 locations is meaningless. Cover all areas before bragging about it.
I don't deny that micromobility is a global trend. But considering Japan's road conditions—narrow sidewalks, poor bike lane infrastructure—shouldn't we build the infrastructure first? The order is backwards.
Used LUUP on a business trip in Osaka and it was amazing. Scooter from Namba to Shinsaibashi was faster than transferring trains. With all 23 wards in Tokyo covered, the possibilities expand.
17% drunk riding rate is abnormal. It doesn't even compare to bicycles' 1%. And you don't even need a license for this. It's nothing but a failed deregulation.
I really wish they'd stop placing ports near children's school routes. Zooming past elementary schoolers at 20 km/h is way too dangerous.
My elderly mother struggles with shopping because the station is far. If e-bike sharing comes to our neighborhood it could really help. Scooters are scary but e-bikes would be fine.
When I visited Tokyo as a tourist I used LUUP constantly. You can quickly get to places that are hard to reach by train, and you really feel the city's atmosphere. More ports is great news.
It bothers me that a venture company that lobbied to change the law now poses as urban infrastructure. Public transport should be publicly accountable, not entrusted to a single private company.
Honestly, a regular bike is enough. I don't get why you'd pay money to ride a scooter. I've got my own bicycle.
Living in Berlin, TIER and Lime scooters have changed the cityscape. Convenient but dangerous when drunk people ride at night. I was shocked to hear Japan has a 17% drunk riding rate—we have similar issues here.
I live in Paris. The 2023 vote to ban shared scooters was the right call. Vehicles abandoned on sidewalks were truly a menace. Japan's port-based model might be better, but the accident problem won't go away.
I use Bird and Lime in San Francisco. The biggest complaint about dockless systems is the sidewalk clutter. LUUP's port-based model is smart. I wish American services would learn from this.
In Korea helmets and licenses are mandatory, but honestly nobody follows the rules. Laws without enforcement are meaningless. Japan's approach using technology like LUDAS for monitoring might actually be more effective.
If you've seen Mumbai's traffic, you'd understand how desperately we need e-scooter sharing. It's surprising people oppose it in Japan with such well-maintained infrastructure. In my country it's a distant dream.
Barcelona made helmets mandatory from 2025. In tourist-heavy cities, communicating safety rules is really hard. Japan's in-app test approach is actually a good idea for tourist users too.
London's rental e-scooter trial is still ongoing and hasn't led to full legalization yet. I'm actually jealous Japan can expand nationwide. We're tied up in regulations here.
In Italy, accidents jumped 15% in 2023 and scooter regulations were significantly tightened. I think Japan is at a crossroads now. Neglect safety and it'll end up like Paris.
Singapore completely banned sidewalk riding but usage plummeted as a result. Balancing regulation and adoption is the hardest part. Japan's compromise of allowing sidewalk riding at 6 km/h mode is interesting.
Copenhagen has an established cycling culture so e-scooters aren't as needed here. Maybe Tokyo's weak bicycle infrastructure is exactly why scooters are growing. But that's not a fundamental solution.
I use Scoot and Lime daily in Austin, but without ports the return locations are too free and sidewalks are a mess. Japan's system is way smarter. And the scale of 16,000 ports is impressive.
In Dubai, e-scooters are only allowed in specific areas and strictly managed. It's unusual that Japan allows them almost citywide. If it works out, it could be a reference for Middle Eastern urban development.
Given São Paulo's traffic, e-scooters could be a lifesaver. But our road conditions are too poor for it to be realistic yet. This really relies on Japan having well-maintained roads as a prerequisite.
Developing universal vehicles for elderly riders is a great idea. It's uniquely Japanese thinking for an aging society. I appreciate that they're thinking about solutions rather than just expanding kick scooters.