Japanese town introduces 2-hour daily smartphone cap: Here's why

A city in central Japan is proposing to limit smartphone use to two hours a day, in what is believed to be the first ordinance of its kind in the country.

A municipality in Japanese town of Toyoake, Aichi Prefecture, has submitted a bill to its local legislature this week.

The draft measure encourages families to discuss how much time they spend on devices and to set evening cut-offs, with proposed limits of 9 p.m. for primary school children and 10 p.m. for older students and adults.

This new law is not aimed at restricting rights or imposing penalties, but to highlight the impact of excessive screen time on health, education and family life.

Masafumi Koki, the local Mayor of the Municipality told press reporters about the purpose, saying: “I hope this serves as an opportunity for each family to think about and discuss the time spent on smartphones as well as the time of day the devices are used.”

The city authorities had gathered data from government health ministry that shows that long hours on phones are directly linked to sleep loss, weakened social ties, and truancy among children.

One of another important reason why this new ordinance is being proposed is that young Japanese people are becoming withdrawn from school and relying heavily on smartphones at home.

Reducing screen time among young adults is becoming a pressing concern in the digital age. 

Parents have a crucial role to play in restricting their children’s excessive use of smartphones, to protect their mental health.