This photo shows recalled power banks, the same model as the one that caught fire on Tokyo’s Yamanote loop line on July 20, 2025.(Photo courtesy of Consumer Affairs Agency) (Kyodo)
TOKYO (Kyodo) — A power bank that caught fire and caused suspensions on Tokyo’s busy Yamanote loop line on the weekend was found to be a recalled product, an investigative source said Friday.
The power bank was one of 39,300 sold from December 2019 to August 2021, and a total of 16 fires have been reported since fiscal 2021, the Consumer Affairs Agency said after receiving a report from its seller on Thursday.
The fire broke out at around 4:10 p.m. Sunday on a train traveling between Shin-Okubo and Shinjuku stations, triggering brief suspensions of services on the loop line and other lines and affecting around 98,000 people, JR East said.
Police have quoted the female owner of the power bank as saying, “The battery became hot when I was charging my smartphone, and (the phone) caught fire in around 30 seconds.”
In addition to the woman, who sustained a burn on her finger, four others were injured while evacuating the train.
Lithium-ion batteries, commonly used in power banks, can ignite upon physical impact or due to gradual degradation, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
The ministry bans travelers from placing mobile batteries in checked baggage on flights. Starting this month, it is also urging passengers to keep power banks within reach during flights, following a series of incidents involving mobile batteries catching fire onboard.
AloJapan.com