Japanese town Toyoake’s shocking new rule: Only 2 hours of phone use per day; here's what's behind it

In an unprecedented initiative aimed at addressing digital addiction and growing mental health concerns, the Japanese town of Toyoake has proposed limiting daily smartphone use for all residents to just two hours.

The draft guidelines, currently under consideration by the municipal assembly, suggest that children avoid screens after 9 PM, while teenagers and adults switch off devices by 10 PM, as reported by the BBC.While the proposal is non-binding, it seeks to encourage healthier digital habits, improve sleep quality, and reduce issues such as truancy and family disengagement. However, the plan has sparked strong criticism from residents, many of whom consider the measure impractical and unrealistic, raising questions about balancing technology use with everyday life.

Understanding Toyoake’s digital wellbeing initiative: Japan’s two-hour smartphone limit explained

Toyoake, located in Aichi prefecture, aims to address increasing concerns related to screen overuse, sleep disturbances, and mental health deterioration. The town’s municipal officials have drafted a proposal that encourages both children and adults to restrict smartphone and tablet usage to two hours per day.This measure is considered the first of its kind in Japan to target an entire community, emphasising preventive mental health care and the promotion of healthy digital habits.

If approved by the municipal assembly, it is expected to take effect in October 2025, as reported.

Toyoake’s digital well-being: Proposed guidelines for residents

The draft guidelines suggest age-specific rules to foster structured device usage:

Although the rules would be non-binding, the initiative is designed to reduce sleep deprivation, truancy among children, and over-dependence on digital devices.

National concerns over screen time

Toyoake’s proposal reflects broader trends in Japan, where digital overuse among children and young adults has raised alarms.

In 2020, another region introduced a non-binding ordinance limiting children to one hour of gaming on school days and 90 minutes during holidays.According to a recent government survey, Japanese youth spend an average of over five hours online daily. Officials note that this contributes to:

Such statistics highlight the urgency for community-level interventions to promote digital well-being.Many residents turned to social media to voice their concerns over the proposal, with one user noting that two hours isn’t even enough to read a book or watch a movie, according to the BBC reports.Also Read | Top 10 fastest-growing careers from 2022-2034: Healthcare, tech, and renewable energy jobs leading the future of work