A town in Japan is proposing a non-binding ordinance that would urge all residents to limit their smartphone use to two hours a day, in an effort to combat online addiction and sleep deprivation. The draft measure, introduced in Toyoake, Aichi prefecture, targets both children and adults amid growing concerns about the physical and psychological effects of excessive device use.
The ordinance, which is being debated by the Toyoake municipal assembly, would encourage primary school students (ages 6-12) and younger children to avoid smartphones or tablets after 9pm, while teenagers and adults are urged to put devices aside after 10pm. If passed, the measure would take effect in October, but it carries no penalties for exceeding the time limit.
The proposal has sparked backlash on social media, with critics calling it an attack on individual freedom and arguing the two-hour limit is impractical. One user commented that two hours is not enough to read a book or watch a movie on a smartphone. Mayor Masafumi Koki acknowledged the limit is not mandatory and said smartphones are 'useful and indispensable', but hopes the ordinance will encourage families to discuss their screen time habits.
According to the Mainichi Shimbun, officials received 83 phone calls and 44 emails over four days following the announcement, 80% of which were critical. The measure aims to address behavioural issues such as truancy among children who cannot bear to leave their phones at home, and anecdotal evidence of adults neglecting sleep or family time due to smartphone use.
Toyoake's initiative reflects broader concerns in Japan about the health impacts of excessive screen time. In 2020, a region in western Japan passed a similar non-binding ordinance limiting children's gaming to one hour on weekdays. A recent survey by the Children and Families Agency found that young Japanese spend an average of just over five hours online on weekdays.
