A city in central Japan has proposed an ordinance urging residents to restrict smartphone use to two hours a day outside work or school, though the measure will not carry penalties.
The proposed limit in Toyoake City is non-binding and would not punish those who exceed it, according to a report by Agence France-Presse.
Mayor Masafumi Koki said the move aims “to prevent excessive use of devices causing physical and mental health issues… including sleep problems,” according to a statement released on Friday.
Under the draft, elementary school children are advised not to use smartphones after 9:00 p.m., while junior high students and older are urged to put down their devices by 10:00 p.m.
The plan quickly drew backlash online, with critics questioning its feasibility. “I understand their intention, but the two-hour limit is impossible,” one user wrote on social media platform X. Another said: “In two hours, I cannot even read a book or watch a movie (on my smartphone).”
Some argued that decisions about screen time should be left to families rather than city officials.
In response to the criticism, Koki stressed that the proposed rules were only guidelines. He emphasized that they “acknowledge smartphones are useful and indispensable in daily life.”
The ordinance will be reviewed next week and, if approved, would take effect in October.
Japan has seen similar efforts in the past. In 2020, the western Kagawa region introduced an ordinance urging children to limit gaming to one hour on weekdays and 90 minutes on school holidays.
It also recommended that children aged 12 to 15 avoid smartphone use after 9:00 p.m., extending to 10:00 p.m. for those aged 15 to 18.
Japanese youth currently spend just over five hours a day online on weekdays, according to a March survey by the Children and Families Agency.
