Japanese Cities Warn Residents Against Illegal Road Plates

Japanese municipalities are urging residents to remove step-elimination plates from public roads because the devices likely violate the Road Act ^[1].

These plates, often installed to ease vehicle access to private property, create significant safety risks for pedestrians and cyclists. Local governments warn that the installations can obstruct traffic flow and impede essential city drainage systems [1, 2].

Officials in Funabashi City, Kyoto City, and West Tokyo City have been active in calling for the removal of these devices ^[1]. In one residential area of Tokyo, more than 10 plates were found installed on public streets ^[1]. West Tokyo City previously issued a formal notice prohibiting the placement of such devices in December 2023 ^[3].

"Do not place things on the road. Placing things like curb-climbing blocks on the road indiscriminately is prohibited by law," said a Funabashi City official ^[1].

Legal experts warn that the consequences for ignoring these notices can be severe. If a device is judged to hinder the structure or traffic of a road, it constitutes a violation of the Road Act ^[1].

"If it is evaluated as having the risk of obstructing the structure or traffic of the road and is found to violate the Road Act, the statutory penalty is imprisonment for up to one year or a fine of up to 500,000 yen," said Takashi Saida, a lawyer with Very Best Law Office ^[1].

Kyoto City has also joined the effort to clear public thoroughfares. "We ask all installers to promptly remove them," said a Kyoto City spokesperson ^[1].

While some residents install the plates for convenience, the conflict between private accessibility and public safety has led to increased enforcement. The ongoing calls for removal between 2023 and 2026 reflect a broader push by city planners to ensure road safety and infrastructure integrity [2, 3].