Toyoake City in central Japan is considering a new ordinance that would encourage residents to limit their smartphone use to just two hours per day outside of work or school.
The proposal, which carries no penalties for exceeding the limit, is aimed at preventing physical and mental health challenges linked to excessive screen time, such as sleep disorders.
“The goal is to prevent excessive use of devices causing physical and mental health issues, including sleep problems,” Mayor Masafumi Koki said on Friday.
Under the draft, elementary school students would be advised to avoid smartphones after 9:00 pm, while junior high students and older would be encouraged to log off by 10:00 pm.
However, the plan has sparked mixed reactions online. Many residents described the proposal as “unrealistic,” with one user on X saying, “In two hours, I cannot even read a book or watch a movie on my smartphone.” Others argued that managing screen time should remain a personal or family decision.
Mayor Koki has since clarified that the two-hour guideline is not compulsory but rather a recommendation, noting that smartphones remain “useful and indispensable in daily life.”
If approved, the ordinance will take effect in October.
This would not be Japan’s first attempt to regulate digital habits. In 2020, the Kagawa region introduced guidelines limiting children’s gaming to one hour on school days and 90 minutes during holidays, alongside curfews on smartphone use.
According to the Children and Families Agency, Japanese youth currently spend an average of over five hours online on weekdays—a figure Toyoake hopes to reduce through this new initiative.
