There are a lot of people who bring a charger that you can plug into an outlet instead of a portable battery when you go out. I also look for a cafe first when I go out to cover stories and run out of batteries on my laptop or cell phone.
These days, it seems that the number of places that have been blocked from using outlets in Korea is gradually increasing, but the case in Japan is a little more strict. For this reason, there is a rumor that charging at a cafe will be a big problem when traveling. In fact, there are cases where people were punished for charging a charger in an outlet, so it is necessary to be careful. In Japan, you shouldn’t charge your cell phone or laptop just because you find an empty outlet in a cafe or family restaurant. You can be restrained by the clerk. In fact, questions or posts about this are constantly posted on Japanese portal sites such as Yahoo Japan.
It is said that in places where charging is prohibited, electricity is also treated as property by law. Article 235 of the Japanese Criminal Code stipulates that ‘a person who steals another person’s property shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than 10 years or a fine not exceeding 500,000 yen for theft’. Article 245 of the Criminal Code also stipulates that ‘in this regard, electricity is also regarded as property’. For this reason, if the workplace’s electricity is used without permission, there is ample room for theft. In fact, in 2007, two middle school students were investigated for theft while charging a mobile phone using a convenience store outlet in Osaka. At that time, it was rare for customers to use a store outlet, unlike nowadays, but it was said that they drew social attention by considering it a theft just by using a little electricity.
There is even a rumor that charging a smartphone can be a theft crime at school or company. In particular, there are many places where the rules are strict at work. Here is an inquiry from the Japanese human resources community. The questioner said, “The company has not made any notice, but it is noticeable that an employee’s personal smartphone is recently plugged into a work PC and charged. Isn’t it a big problem in terms of information leakage at the company as well as stealing electricity, the company’s property without permission?” He added, “Please let me know what other companies are doing.” He added, “For your information, I always carry a supplementary battery with me at work.”
There were many opinions that the answer could be a problem for now. “The act itself does not seem to be able to distinguish between construction work,” said the head of the Hot Tory wage and labor support office. “Since it is related to the regulations prohibiting the export of in-house goods, regulations must be reorganized as soon as possible,” and “Even if it is prohibited in private places, flexibility such as setting up a dedicated charging corner is necessary.” Japan’s Atom Law Office also said in a newsletter, “It doesn’t matter if there is a poster saying it is okay to charge your smartphone, but if there is nothing written on it, there is room for theft if you charge it as you please,” and added, “If you want to charge it, you should check it with the official first.”
In Korea, there is a sentiment that charging is possible once there is a company, a cafe, or an outlet, and it is rather harsh to block charging. In Japan, this unauthorized use of electricity is also called ‘electric theft’. There is also an interpretation that this is because electricity prices are so high.
Not all public facilities cannot charge, and outlets on the bullet train seats can be used freely in the seats. In rechargeable cafes and family restaurants, people often notify them of “charging OK,” and especially in cafes, if you find a place with “power on,” you can charge your smartphone and use your laptop with the charger plugged in.
SALLY LEE
US ASIA JOURNAL
