THE city of Toyoake in Aichi, Japan, has proposed an ordinance urging residents to limit smartphone use to two hours a day outside work or school.
The draft, however, does not impose penalties for exceeding the recommended limit.
According to The Japan Times, Toyoake Mayor Masafumi Koki said on August 22 that the proposal aims to reduce physical and mental health issues linked to device overuse, including sleep problems.
Under the draft, elementary school students are advised not to use smartphones after 9pm., while junior high school students and older residents are advised to stop by 10pm
The plan has faced criticism online, with some calling the limit unrealistic.
One user wrote on social media platform X: “I understand their intention, but the two-hour limit is impossible.”
Another commented, “In two hours, I cannot even read a book or watch a movie (on my smartphone).”
Others argued that smartphone usage decisions should be left to individual families.
In response, Mayor Koki emphasised that the two-hour limit is not mandatory and noted that the guidelines recognise smartphones as “useful and indispensable in daily life.”
The ordinance is scheduled for consideration next week and, if approved, would take effect in October.
A similar approach was introduced in 2020 by the Kagawa Prefectural Government, which recommended limiting children to one hour of gaming on weekdays and 90 minutes during school holidays.
The Kagawa guidelines also advised limiting smartphone use to 9pm. for 12–15-year-olds, and 10pm for those aged 15–18.
According to a March survey by the Children and Families Agency, Japanese youth spend slightly over five hours online on weekdays.
