Japanese town urges residents to limit smartphone use to two hours a day, faces backlash

Toyoake, Japan, proposed a two-hour daily screen limit to tackle online addiction.

A town in Japan has proposed a new rule asking residents to limit smartphone use to two hours a day. The proposal, announced by officials in Toyoake, Aichi prefecture, aims to tackle online addiction and problems caused by too much screen time.

Toyoake draft ordinance triggered criticism from residents.(Pexels/Representational Image)

Mayor Masafumi Koki said the proposal seeks “to prevent excessive use of devices causing physical and mental health issues, including sleep problems.”, The Guardian reported.

The draft proposal, said to be the first in Japan to apply to an entire community, is under discussion in the municipal assembly and may come into effect in October if passed.

What does the proposal say?

Under the guidelines, the measure would affect people of all ages, not just children. Primary school students and younger children are urged to avoid using smartphones or tablets after 9 pm, while teenagers and adults should put their devices aside after 10 pm.

However, the ordinance is non-binding, meaning there will be no penalties for those who exceed the suggested two-hour limit.

The proposal has triggered a backlash. Some residents said it was an attack on individual freedom, while others described the limit as impossible to follow.

Backlash from residents:

The proposal has not gone down well with many of Toyoake’s 69,000 residents. Officials received 83 phone calls and 44 emails over four days after the announcement, 80% of which were critical of the measure, according to the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper.

Toyoake’s initiative highlights growing concern over the impact of prolonged smartphone and tablet use on children’s health.

In 2020, a western Japan region adopted a non-binding rule limiting children to one hour of gaming per weekday and 90 minutes during holidays.