On September 22, the municipal council of Toyohashi City in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, passed a regulation on the use of smartphones, which stipulates that the time spent using smartphones during leisure time, apart from work and study, should not exceed 2 hours per day.
This is the first regulation nationwide in Japan that restricts the use of mobile phones for “all citizens”.
According to reports from Japanese media, the Toyohashi City government stated that although smartphones have become a necessity in daily life, prolonged use may lead to sleep deprivation, reduce quality time spent with family, impact the home environment, and hinder the healthy growth of children. Therefore, the city government submitted the regulation to the city council for approval.
The regulation will take effect for all 68,000 residents of the city on October 1. However, the regulation is not mandatory and carries no penalties.
Despite this, since the draft regulation was announced on August 20, the local government has received a considerable amount of feedback from residents. The feedback has been polarized, with over 300 phone calls and emails received, criticizing the regulation with opinions such as “Does the government have the right to deprive us of our freedom?” and “Interfering with family matters is strange”. At the same time, there are also favorable opinions acknowledging that smartphone addiction is indeed a problem and hoping for legal measures to address it.
In addition, the regulation stipulates that the usage time for children under elementary school age should be restricted before 9 p.m., and for middle school students under 18, usage time should be restricted before 10 p.m.
Mayor of Toyohashi City, Masanori Suko, stated after the regulation was passed that the “within 2 hours” guideline is not a rigid rule but a reference standard. He emphasized that the significance of the regulation is not to restrict citizens’ rights or impose obligations but to serve as an opportunity for every family to communicate at home.
This regulation in Toyohashi City reflects a growing concern about excessive smartphone use and its impact on individuals and families, illustrating an effort to promote healthy habits and meaningful interactions in daily life without infringing on personal freedoms.