Type B power plugs in Japan
I'm travelling to Japan soon, so I'm looking for power adapters for my (Australian) laptop and phone chargers.
My laptop charger has an earthed plug, and as such most of the adapters that I've found won't work as they don't take earthed plugs.
As such, I'm considering getting a plug that has USA Type B plug output as some sites seem to indicate that Japan has some power points that support the third earthed pin. However, other sites say they're not supported.
Are Type B points common? Or am I better off finding an alternate way to charge my laptop (e.g. trying to obtain a North American charger that has a Type A plug).
Best Answer
Earthed sockets are extremely rare. I have only seen them in private homes, in locations where large appliances are expected to be plugged in. Where available, earth is a separate wire that is screwed down onto a post. For example, here is a picture of the power cable for my Apple MacBook, purchased in Japan.
American three-pronged power plugs do NOT fit into Japanese sockets.
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What is A Type B power plug?
The Type B electrical socket (American standard NEMA 5-15) has two flat parallel pins and a round earth pin. The earth pin is longer than the flat pins so that the appliance is grounded before the power is applied.What countries use Type B plugs?
If you travel a lot, keep in mind that this A and B plug model type is also used in countries such as: Saudi Arabia, Belize, Bolivia, Canada, Cambodia, Colombia, North Korea, South Korea, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Philippines, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Jordan, Laos, ...What type of adapter do I need for Japan?
When living in the United States of America you don't need a power plug adapter in Japan. Your power plugs fit. We recommend you to pack a 3 to 2 prong adapter in case type B sockets are not available. Your appliances with plug A and plug B fit.Do my US plugs work in Japan?
Japanese sockets are (mostly) physically compatible with American plugs, and although the nominal line voltage is lower in Japan (100V), the vast majority of modern electronics goods intended for American line voltage (110V) work just fine in Japan.TRAVEL ADAPTER FOR JAPAN | Japanese Businessman Tries to Introduce Product in English!
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Answer 2
Type B plugs are very uncommon. Most Japanese appliances are built to be internally grounded ( not exactly sure how that works, but I believe they're designed so that if they short out, they don't electrocute you ).
However, have you considered looking for an unearthed AC adapter cord for your laptop? If it's anything like the ones in North America, you can simply buy a new cord.
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Images: Anna Tarazevich, Karolina Grabowska, Karolina Grabowska, Karolina Grabowska