A city in central Japan has proposed a new rule asking residents to limit smartphone use to just two hours a day outside school or work.
Toyoake City officials said the move aims to reduce health risks linked to excessive screen time.
Mayor Masafumi Koki explained that the draft ordinance seeks to prevent sleep problems and other physical or mental issues caused by long smartphone use.
The plan includes age-based recommendations. Elementary pupils are advised to stop using phones after 9:00 pm, while junior high students and older should stop after 10:00 pm.
However, the proposal sparked a heated debate online. Many users on X called the plan unrealistic. One wrote, “I understand their intention, but the two-hour limit is impossible.”
Another added, “In two hours, I cannot even read a book or watch a movie on my phone.”
The backlash forced the mayor to clarify that the two-hour limit is not mandatory.
He stressed that smartphones are “useful and indispensable in daily life” and said the guidelines would carry no penalties for exceeding them.
The city council will review the proposal next week. If approved, it will take effect in October.
Japan has tried similar restrictions before. In 2020, Kagawa Prefecture became the first region to pass an ordinance limiting children’s gaming and smartphone use.
It recommended one hour on weekdays and 90 minutes during holidays. Children aged 12 to 15 were advised to stop using phones by 9:00 pm, with older teens allowed until 10:00 pm.
Despite these efforts, data shows Japanese youth still spend over five hours online daily during weekdays, according to a March survey by the Children and Families Agency.