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7h ago

Toyoake Drafts Non-Binding Two-Hour Daily Smartphone Limit

A council decision is due next week, with an Oct 1 start if approved.

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Japanese youth spend slightly over five hours on average a day online on weekdays, according to a survey published in March by the Children and Families Agency
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A Japanese city will urge all smartphone users to limit screen time to two hours a day outside work or school under a draft ordinance that includes no penalties

Overview

  • The draft recommends keeping daily screen time outside school or work to two hours for residents, with no penalties for higher use.
  • Elementary students are urged to stop using smartphones after 9 pm, and junior high students and older after 10 pm, to protect sleep.
  • Mayor Masafumi Koki says the goal is to curb health risks from excessive device use, including mental strain and sleep problems.
  • Online criticism over feasibility prompted the mayor to emphasize the guidance is voluntary and acknowledges smartphones as useful in daily life.
  • Officials say the city will promote healthy use with schools and parents, noting national data show youths average just over five hours online on weekdays, and citing Kagawa’s 2020 gaming-time ordinance as context.