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Defense Ministry Rolls Out Staff-Only E-Scooters at Ichigaya Headquarters
The Japanese Defense Ministry introduced Luup electric scooters and bicycles at its 25-hectare Ichigaya site in July 2026. Three stations with 10 scooters and five bicycles serve only ministry staff. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi addressed productivity goals and data concerns on July 3.
The Japan TimesAudio version
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The Defense Ministry introduced Luup’s electric scooter-sharing service at its Ichigaya headquarters in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward in July 2026. The 25-hectare site, five times larger than the Tokyo Dome stadium, houses the Joint Staff, the Ground Staff Office, the Maritime Staff Office and the Air Staff Office.
Three Luup service stations were set up on the site along with 10 e-scooters and five power-assisted bicycles.
The vehicles are available only to ministry staff, and the ministry covers the service fees. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said at a news conference on July 3 that the service forms part of efforts to improve productivity by reducing the burden on staff. He added that leakage of location data would not necessarily cause security issues and vowed to remind employees to follow traffic rules.
The ministry announced the introduction on the X social media platform. Some ministry employees said they preferred walking for exercise and had never used an e-scooter. The Japan Times reported that the announcement prompted social media users to raise concerns about possible leakage of location data and travel logs for staff who handle classified information.
