Students help develop helmet to encourage more cyclists to wear one

Aoyama Gakuin University students hold their completed helmets on Sept. 6 in Tokyo. | JIJI

Jiji

Nov 10, 2026

Helmet use in Japan has risen three and a half years after a revised road traffic law called on all cyclists in Japan to endeavor to wear one. Progress has been slow, however, with just one in four cyclists now wearing one.

To encourage more cyclists, especially young people, to wear helmets, the Metropolitan Police Department has developed a new helmet with input from university students. The helmet went on sale in August.

Before the amendment took effect in April 2023, only parents and guardians were urged to have children under 13 wear helmets. The revised law has extended this duty to all cyclists, but there is no penalty for not wearing a helmet.

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