Japanese city proposes to cap smartphone usage at 2 hours a day

This move aims "to prevent excessive use of devices causing physical and mental health issues...including sleep problems," said Toyoake Mayor Masafumi Koki.

Japanese city Toyoake in Aichi Prefecture has submitted a draft ordinance on Monday (25 August), proposing a daily smartphone usage limit of two hours outside work or school for all residents, according to Japanese media reports.

Under the draft, elementary school students are urged to avoid using smartphones after 9pm, while junior high school students and older individuals are advised to disconnect after 10pm.

During a press briefing, Toyoake Mayor Masafumi Koki emphasised that the ordinance is intended as a non-binding guideline, with no penalties for non-compliance.

“Smartphones are useful and indispensable in daily life,” he acknowledged, adding that the proposal aims "to prevent excessive use of devices causing physical and mental health issues...including sleep problems.”

If approved, the ordinance will take effect in October.

The proposal has sparked a backlash online, with many calling it unrealistic.

People argue that screen time decisions should be left to individual families. Others questioned the feasibility of enforcing a uniform limit across diverse age groups and lifestyles.

This isn’t the first time a Japanese local government has attempted to regulate digital usage. In 2020, Kagawa Prefecture introduced an ordinance limiting gaming time for children to one hour a day on weekdays and 90 minutes during school holidays. It also recommended smartphone curfews of 9pm for children aged 12 to 15, and 10pm for those aged 15 to 18.

According to a survey by Japan’s Children and Families Agency, young people in the country spend an average of slightly over five hours online per weekday.