1.3 million Japanese cell-phone batteries recalled

We’ve all heard about overheating laptop batteries, but in Japan NTT DoCoMo and Mitsubishi Electric are recalling 1.3 million potentially hot potato cellular phone batteries. The companies said the batteries were all made before June 2006 and could overheat or catch on fire. NTT says it knows of at least 18 cases where the batteries have either ruptured or overheated.

The batteries were all made by Sanyo and have the model number D06. Thankfully for our U.S.A. readers, this battery should only be seen in Asian markets. Sanyo officials say an electrode code come loose because of a manufacturing defect or if users drop their phones. New batteries coming off the assembly line has since been strengthened.