# Can I take appliances with lithium batteries bought in Japan on a plane? Can power banks be checked?

> Appliances with built-in lithium batteries rated at 100Wh or less (electric toothbrushes, shavers, cordless straighteners, etc.) can go in your carry-on, and we recommend not checking them; 100–160Wh generally needs airline approval, and anything over 160Wh is banned. Power banks (portable chargers) must be carried on and can't be checked. Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) limits each passenger to two power banks from April 24, 2026, and you may not charge a power bank or use it to charge devices on board.

- Page: https://bestjapanbuy.com/en/q/lithium-battery-flight/
- Updated: 2026-10-23

## At a glance (as of October 2026)

| Item | Carry-on | Checked | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Appliance with built-in lithium battery, ≤100Wh | Yes | Allowed under Japanese rules if powered off and protected from accidental activation; carry-on recommended | Toothbrush and shaver batteries are usually just a few Wh |
| Appliance with built-in lithium battery, 100–160Wh | Generally needs airline approval | Per airline | Rare among household appliances |
| Over 160Wh | No | No | — |
| Power bank (portable charger) | Yes, ≤160Wh, up to 2 per person | Banned | No charging it on board and no using it to charge devices |
| Spare lithium batteries (removed) | Yes, protected from short circuits | Banned | Tape the terminals or use a protective pouch |
| Cordless straightener/curling iron | Yes if the battery can be separated | Yes if the battery can be separated (the battery itself carry-on only) | If the battery can't be separated, banned from both. See [Can I take a curling iron on a plane?](/en/q/hair-iron-flight/) |

## How to calculate Wh

Wh = rated capacity (mAh) × rated voltage (V) ÷ 1,000. For example, a 27,000mAh, 3.7V power bank is about 99.9Wh. Electric toothbrushes and shavers are usually just a few Wh, far below 100Wh.

## Points to watch when departing Japan

- **New power bank rule**: MLIT requires that, from April 24, 2026, each passenger carry no more than two power banks. Keep them close at hand, such as in the seat pocket, not in the overhead bin.
- **Power off checked appliances**: Use the travel lock on shavers and turn toothbrushes off so they don't start up and heat in your bag.
- **If you're connecting in mainland China**: Chinese domestic airlines may have extra requirements for power banks, such as CCC (3C) certification, and power banks bought in Japan usually don't carry the 3C mark. Follow the latest notices from the airline and the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
- **Your airline has the final say**: MLIT also notes that airlines may have rules stricter than the regulations, and international flights are also subject to foreign rules.

## Conflict with the tax-free procedure

From November 1, 2026, the new tax-free system requires you to complete confirmation at an airport tax-free kiosk before checking bags. Small appliances with lithium batteries should be carried on anyway, so they aren't affected. For large items you need to check, complete the tax-free confirmation first. See [checking appliances as baggage](/en/q/checked-baggage-appliance/) and the [2026 tax-free guide](/en/q/tax-free-2026/).

For shavers, see [Can I take a shaver on a plane?](/en/q/shaver-flight-customs/) To check whether a specific model can fly, use the [compatibility checker](/en/tools/compat/).

## Sources

- [Japan Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism: items restricted in carry-on and checked baggage](https://www.mlit.go.jp/koku/koku_fr2_000007.html)
- [Japan Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism: rules for carrying power banks (PDF)](https://www.mlit.go.jp/common/001469460.pdf)
- [Japan Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism: list of typical restricted items (PDF)](https://www.mlit.go.jp/common/001425421.pdf)
- [IATA: lithium battery guidance for passengers (PDF)](https://www.iata.org/contentassets/6fea26dd84d24b26a7a1fd5788561d6e/passenger-lithium-battery.pdf)

> Data from BestJapanBuy (bestjapanbuy.com). Please credit and link to the page when using it. Prices are for reference only; check in store.
> Translated with AI; the Chinese version is authoritative.