Can Lithium Batteries, Game Consoles, Cameras and Headphones Be Forwarded from Japan?

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Classify the product as a battery installed in equipment, a spare supplied with equipment, or a loose battery or power bank. These have different air-transport risks and routes. An exact model and battery specification produce a better decision than the description electronics.

Installed batteries, spares and power banks

A battery installed in normal equipment receives protection from the device and is generally easier to qualify than a loose cell. Spare batteries and power banks are treated as batteries by themselves, with greater short-circuit and thermal-runaway risk and stricter postal or air-route limits.

• Installed devices: consoles, wireless headphones, cameras, tablets and laptops.
• Spares: an uninstalled camera, controller or replacement battery.
• Power banks: normally treated as loose batteries even with output ports.

How to calculate Wh

Carriers commonly assess lithium-ion capacity in watt-hours. Use Wh = voltage V × capacity Ah. If the label shows mAh, divide by 1,000 first. A 3.7V, 5,000mAh battery is about 18.5Wh. Use a battery or manufacturer label rather than an estimate from the product name.

• Photograph or save the battery label, manual and manufacturer specification.
• Different versions of one product can use different capacities, so verify the exact model.
• A missing, worn or unknown battery label can prevent route confirmation.

Checking consoles, cameras and headphones

JChere's current restriction page lists special-route examples such as Switch, PlayStation, headphones, consoles and controllers, but destination and current route requirements still apply. A console body, controller, wireless headset and portable device should be declared separately rather than as one generic set.

• List every battery-containing component in a bundle instead of only game-console set.
• Check camera body, spare batteries, charger and battery grip separately.
• Wireless earbuds commonly contain batteries in both the earbuds and charging case.

Packaging, consolidation and unacceptable condition

Power down equipment, prevent accidental activation, protect terminals against short circuit and prevent movement or crushing. Damaged, swollen, leaking, overheated, recalled or condition-unknown batteries are high risk and normally cannot use ordinary international transport.

• Do not place spare batteries loose in a parcel or in direct contact with metal.
• Before consolidating, confirm every item qualifies for one battery route and destination.
• If a route requires battery removal, confirm device function, packaging and warehouse operation first.

Frequently asked questions