Power Bank Rules on Flights in Japan (from April 2026) | How Many You Can Bring, Capacity (Wh), Charging on Board, and Checked Baggage
On flights in Japan, you can bring up to 2 power banks per person, each 160 Wh or less. They cannot go in checked baggage. On board, you cannot charge a power bank, and you also cannot use a power bank to charge other devices. This article explains the rules of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism from April 24, 2026, how to check the capacity (Wh), how many you can bring together with spare batteries, penalties, and differences between airlines.
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Overview
This article explains the rules set by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism for bringing power banks onto airplanes. The ministry revised its rules in line with the revised international standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and has applied the new rules since April 24, 2026. The content of this article was checked on October 16, 2026, against the ministry’s press release and its guidance for passengers, and against ANA’s guidance.
- Power banks cannot be put in checked baggage (suitcases and other bags that you hand over at the counter when you check in). Put them in your carry-on baggage.
- You can bring up to 2 power banks per person on board. You can bring only power banks with a capacity (watt-hour rating) of 160 Wh or less each. A power bank of more than 160 Wh can neither be brought on board nor put in checked baggage.
- On board, you cannot charge power banks. You also cannot use a power bank to charge a smartphone or any other device.
- On board, do not put power banks in the overhead bin above your seat. Keep them close at hand, for example in the seat pocket in front of you.
The diagram shows where to keep your power bank, from when you arrive at the airport until you sit down on the plane.
- Before you hand over your baggage at the airport check-in counter, take your power banks out of your suitcase.
- Put your power banks in your carry-on baggage and board the plane.
- Once you sit down, keep your power banks close at hand, for example in the seat pocket in front of you. Do not put them in the overhead bin above your seat.
Conditions
How Many You Can Bring and Capacity Limits
Capacity is measured in Wh (watt-hours). The rules depend on the capacity of the power bank, as follows.
| Capacity of each power bank | Carry-on baggage | Checked baggage |
|---|---|---|
| 100 Wh or less | Allowed (up to 2 power banks in total) | Not allowed |
| More than 100 Wh and up to 160 Wh | Allowed (up to 2 power banks in total) | Not allowed |
| More than 160 Wh | Not allowed | Not allowed |
- Regardless of capacity, each person can bring up to 2 power banks in total. For example, if you bring one power bank of 100 Wh or less and one of more than 100 Wh and up to 160 Wh, that already makes 2.
- In this article, “power bank” has the same meaning as in the ministry’s guidance: a device that contains a lithium-ion battery and is used to charge other electronic devices.
- The limit of 2 is a rule about power banks. Devices that themselves contain batteries, such as smartphones and laptops, are separate items in the ministry’s table of items, and are not listed as covered by this rule.
- According to ANA’s guidance for domestic flights, a power bank whose capacity (Wh) is unknown cannot be brought on board, in the same way as a power bank of more than 160 Wh. Check the capacity before you leave.
Comparison
When You Also Carry Spare Batteries
In the ministry’s guidance, “spare batteries” means spare batteries for electronic devices such as digital cameras, and batteries removed from electronic devices. Spare batteries also cannot be put in checked baggage. Carry them on board.
For power banks with a capacity of more than 100 Wh and up to 160 Wh and spare batteries with a capacity of more than 100 Wh and up to 160 Wh, the limit is 2 in total. The ministry’s guidance gives the following examples for when you carry 2 power banks.
| The 2 power banks you carry | Spare batteries of 100 Wh or less | Spare batteries of more than 100 Wh and up to 160 Wh |
|---|---|---|
| Each of the 2 is 100 Wh or less | No limit on the number | Up to 2 |
| Each of the 2 is more than 100 Wh and up to 160 Wh | No limit on the number | Not allowed |
| One of 100 Wh or less, and one of more than 100 Wh and up to 160 Wh | No limit on the number | Up to 1 |
Step by step
What to Do Before You Leave
- Look at the capacity printed on the power bank itself. If a Wh figure is printed, check which row of the “How Many You Can Bring and Capacity Limits” table that figure falls under.
- If there is no Wh figure but the capacity (mAh) and voltage (V) are printed, calculate the Wh as “mAh figure × V figure ÷ 1,000”. In the example in the ministry’s guidance, a power bank with a capacity of 27,000 mAh and a voltage of 3.7 V has a capacity of 99.9 Wh.
- Limit the power banks you take on the plane to 2 or fewer.
- Protect each power bank against short circuits. Cover the terminals with insulating tape, or put each power bank in its own case or bag. Do not put a power bank in the same bag as other batteries or metal objects.
- Before you hand over your baggage, take your power banks and spare batteries out of the suitcase you are checking in, and put them in your carry-on baggage.
- On board, keep your power banks close at hand. Do not charge your power banks, and do not use your power banks to charge other devices.
What travelers often find confusing
This section is based on travelers' public posts and questions, along with search trends. It is not a collection of personal reviews or ratings.
- On planes in Japan, do low-capacity power banks also count toward the limit of 2? Yes, they do. For power banks with a capacity that can be brought on board (160 Wh or less), whether the capacity is small or large, each person can bring up to 2 in total on board. Power banks with a capacity of 100 Wh or less are also counted as part of these 2. What the table in the guidance of Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism describes as “No limit on the number” is spare batteries with a capacity of 100 Wh or less (spare batteries for electronic devices such as digital cameras, and batteries removed from electronic devices), not power banks.
- Can I put a power bank in the suitcase I check in? No, you cannot. Power banks of any capacity cannot be put in checked baggage (suitcases and other bags that you hand over at the counter when you check in). Put power banks of 160 Wh or less in your carry-on baggage. A power bank of more than 160 Wh can neither be checked in nor brought on board. Before you hand over your baggage, take your power banks out of your suitcase.
- If a power bank shows no Wh figure, only mAh and V figures, how do I check whether I can bring it on board? Using the mAh (rated capacity) and V (rated voltage) figures printed on the power bank itself, calculate the Wh as “mAh figure × V figure ÷ 1,000”. In the example in the ministry’s guidance, a power bank with a rated capacity of 27,000 mAh and a rated voltage of 3.7 V has a capacity of 99.9 Wh. Then check which row of the “How Many You Can Bring and Capacity Limits” table the Wh figure you calculated falls under. According to ANA’s guidance for domestic flights, a power bank whose capacity (Wh) is unknown cannot be brought on board, in the same way as a power bank of more than 160 Wh.
- Do I always have to cover a power bank’s terminals with insulating tape? No. Instead of using insulating tape, you can also put each power bank in its own case or bag. According to the ministry’s guidance, each power bank must be protected against short circuits. The protection is either covering the terminals with insulating tape or putting each power bank in its own case or bag. Whichever protection you use, do not put a power bank in the same bag as other batteries or metal objects. A person who does not protect a power bank against short circuits may be subject to penalties under the Civil Aeronautics Act.
- On planes in Japan, can I charge my smartphone from the seat power outlet? Yes, on planes that have power outlets at the seats. The ministry advises using the power supply built into the aircraft to charge smartphones and other devices. However, on board, you cannot charge a power bank itself, even from the seat power outlet. You also cannot use a power bank to charge a smartphone or any other device.
Good to know
Things to Watch Out For
- Some airlines have rules that are stricter than the ministry’s rules. Follow the instructions of the airline operating your flight. If your outbound and return flights are with different airlines, check the rules of each airline.
- A power bank that you cannot bring on board because it does not meet the rules might not be carried by air, even if you send it as a package, for example by a home delivery service. When you send it by a home delivery service, always tell the delivery company that the item is a power bank, and follow that company’s instructions. How to send a suitcase with a home delivery service in Japan is explained in Send Your Suitcase by Courier | Airport to Accommodation, Accommodation to Airport (Yamato Transport).
- The shape of power outlets and the voltage in Japan are explained in Japan Plug Type and Voltage | Type A and 100V: How to Check Whether You Need a Plug Adapter or Transformer.