Japanese town asks residents to cap smartphone use at two hours a day, sparks backlash

Smartphones

A Japanese town has asked its residents to sharply reduce smartphone use in an attempt to address growing concerns about digital addiction, poor sleep, and mental health.

Officials in Toyoake, Aichi prefecture, have proposed that both adults and children limit screen time to two hours a day. The non-binding draft guidelines, described as the first in Japan aimed at an entire community, are being debated by the municipal assembly and could come into effect as early as October, according to The Guardian.

Under the proposal, children aged 6 to 12 are advised to avoid smartphones and tablets after 9 pm, while teenagers and adults are urged to switch off by 10 pm. Toyoake mayor Masafumi Koki said the intention was to spark conversations within families about healthier digital habits. “We want to prevent excessive device use from causing physical and mental health issues, including sleep problems,” he said, acknowledging that smartphones remain “indispensable in daily life.”

The announcement has drawn swift criticism from many of Toyoake’s 69,000 residents. The town reportedly received over 120 calls and emails in the days following the proposal, with about 80 percent of responses opposing the idea. On social media, many described the measure as unrealistic. One resident wrote, “Two hours isn’t even enough to read a book or watch a movie on my phone,” while another commented, “The intention is good, but this isn’t practical.”

The plan highlights wider concern in Japan about the impact of digital use on children and families. In 2020, another region introduced a non-binding ordinance limiting children to one hour of gaming on school days and 90 minutes during holidays. A government survey earlier this year found that young people spend an average of more than five hours online every weekday, fuelling worries about truancy, sleep deprivation, and reduced family interaction.