Japan’s Toyoake City Proposes Two-Hour Daily Smartphone Usage Limit

Toyoake City in central Japan has introduced a draft ordinance recommending that residents restrict smartphone use to just two hours per day outside of work or school. The proposed rule carries no penalties, making it a non-binding guideline rather than an enforceable law.

According to Mayor Masafumi Koki, the measure is intended “to prevent excessive use of devices causing physical and mental health issues… including sleep problems.” The draft also suggests that elementary school students avoid smartphones after 9:00pm, while junior high students and older should refrain from using them after 10:00pm.

The proposal quickly drew criticism online, with many users calling it impractical. “I understand their intention, but the two-hour limit is impossible,” one user commented on X. Another wrote, “In two hours, I cannot even read a book or watch a movie (on my smartphone).” Others argued that such restrictions should be left to families rather than imposed by local authorities.

In response to the backlash, the mayor clarified that the measure is voluntary and not mandatory, noting that the guidelines “acknowledge smartphones are useful and indispensable in daily life.”

If approved, the ordinance will take effect in October. Similar measures have been tried before; in 2020, the Kagawa region introduced restrictions on gaming and smartphone use for children, though enforcement was also limited.

A recent survey by the Children and Families Agency shows that Japanese youth spend an average of over five hours online daily during weekdays, highlighting growing concerns about digital dependency.