🛵 New-Standard Mopeds Arrive! 50cc Ends

❓ What's Changing?

50cc "class-1 mopeds" struggle to meet the tighter emission standards (Japan's 4th-round rules) starting November 2025, so domestic production ends in late October 2025. Instead, 125cc-class bikes whose top power is capped at 4.0kW (equivalent to 50cc) are classed as "new-standard mopeds" under class-1, and from April 1, 2025 you can ride them on a moped license (or the moped privilege bundled with a car license). They look like 125cc bikes but are treated exactly like the old mopeds.

👥 Who's Affected?

• ●Students and foreign workers who deliver or work part-time by moped
• ●Anyone considering buying a moped soon
• ●Holders of a moped license or a standard car license
• ●Foreign residents using mopeds for commuting or school

🌏 Impact on Foreigners

This directly affects students and trainees who use mopeds for delivery or part-time work. You can no longer buy new 50cc bikes, but you can ride new-standard (125cc-based) mopeds on the same moped license, widening your choices — though prices tend to be higher than 50cc. Any 50cc moped you already own can still be ridden and will keep circulating on the used market. Beware the myth that "it's 125cc, so two people can ride."