Japan Warns Public over Safety of Used Goods

Tokyo, April 22 (Jiji Press)--Japan's National Institute of Technology and Evaluation is urging the public to exercise caution when buying secondhand goods, warning that they may cause accidents such as explosions and fires.

Over the five years through 2024, 310 accidents linked to used products were reported to NITE. Such accidents have increased alongside growth in the use of flea market apps and persistent consumer inflation.

Of the reported accidents, about 90 pct were fires, and some 30 pct involved products using lithium-ion batteries.

By product, bicycles, air conditioners, kerosene heaters and fan heaters were among the common items involved in accidents.

In one case, a man in his 30s in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, bought a used power tool battery through an online auction. The battery burst while it was stored after being charged.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]