It was a warm summer day when Masafumi Kouki, the dynamic mayor of Toyoake, Japan, first conceived of a radical solution to his city’s growing problem of school truancy. He observed that many of Toyoake’s nearly 68,000 residents, particularly the younger generation, appeared increasingly consumed by their digital devices. This observation sparked a thought: what if the city could actively encourage its citizens to spend less time glued to screens?
Remarkably, within mere days, Mayor Kouki and his team had formulated a detailed ordinance, spanning 2,400 characters, proposing a strict two-hour daily limit on the use of smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and computers for all Toyoake residents. Crucially, this limit would not apply to hours spent on work or school-related activities. Set to be enacted on Wednesday, this groundbreaking ordinance positions Toyoake as a pioneer in Japan, leveraging governmental authority to tackle the pervasive issue of digital over-reliance.
Speaking from Toyoake, an industrial suburb of Nagoya, Mayor Kouki shared his personal motivation: ‘It’s truly disheartening to see people constantly engrossed in their smartphones at home as their day concludes. My sincere hope is that this initiative will inspire a genuine shift in behavior among our citizens.’
One image captures high schoolers in Toyoake, Japan, in uniform, sitting on a wall and looking at their smartphones, illustrating how their device usage often exceeds the two-hour limit authorities aim to impose.
Despite its ambitious premise, the ordinance, passed by the city assembly in a 12-7 vote last week, is primarily symbolic. City officials have clarified that there will be no active monitoring of residents’ device usage, nor will penalties be enforced for exceeding the recommended two-hour limit.
However, in Japan, official guidelines often carry significant social weight, fostering an environment where citizens are inclined to comply. Toyoake’s leaders are banking on this cultural norm, hoping that residents will willingly scale back their digital device use, opting instead for more restorative sleep and quality time with loved ones.
Yet, not all residents are on board with this civic experiment. A considerable number are vocalizing concerns about governmental overreach into personal lives. Toyoake authorities have been inundated with approximately 400 phone calls and messages, predominantly expressing negative sentiment. Critics have even launched a petition demanding the ordinance’s repeal, while local politicians have taken to social media to publicly condemn the new rule.
‘In just one sentence: It’s none of your business,’ Mariko Fujie, a Toyoake lawmaker who cast her vote against the ordinance, succinctly encapsulated the opposition.
Ms. Fujie didn’t stop at a soundbite; she circulated a newsletter to her constituents, passionately decrying the smartphone limit with arguments such as ‘not based on scientific evidence’ and ‘the perspective of children’s rights is missing.’ Her primary concern, she explained, is the subtle but powerful social pressure that could compel residents to adhere to the ordinance, regardless of their personal conviction.
‘Many of my supporters feel it’s incredibly condescending for the city to impose such a rule,’ she added, dismissing the ordinance as ‘total nonsense.’
Another image shows Masafumi Kouki, the mayor of Toyoake, in a suit sitting on a desk in his office, looking sideways for a portrait. He stated that he conceived the idea of limits due to concerns about residents’ smartphone addiction, especially among young people.
A portrait of Mariko Fujie and Yoshiaki Shimizu, local lawmakers in Toyoake, shows them opposing the screen time rule. Ms. Fujie notably called the ordinance ‘total nonsense.’
Attempts to curb screen time are not entirely unprecedented in Japan, a nation celebrated as one of the world’s most connected societies and the origin of tech behemoths like Nintendo and Sony. A government study from last year highlighted the urgency, revealing that elementary and secondary school students in Japan average about five hours of phone use daily.
Back in 2020, Kagawa Prefecture, located on Japan’s Shikoku island, implemented a comparable restriction targeting young people’s video game playtime. This move triggered widespread protests and a subsequent lawsuit, though the legal challenge ultimately failed to overturn the rule. The long-term impact and success of Kagawa’s experiment, however, remain officially unreleased.
In Toyoake, much like elsewhere across the globe, smartphones are woven into the very fabric of daily life. They are ubiquitous on buses, in bustling parks, cozy restaurants, and even within school grounds.
Kairi Tani, a 20-year-old university student, was observed this week engrossed in the popular game ‘Puzzles and Dragons’ on a bench outside a train station. He expressed skepticism about the city’s ability to counteract the ‘gravitational pull’ of smartphones, admitting he personally spends five to six hours a day on his devices.
‘My brain and my phone are connected through a root,’ Tani remarked, ‘I can never let it go.’
Meanwhile, at a local community center on Monday afternoon, a group of mothers supervised their children, who were happily playing and snacking on Pocky sticks and various sweet-and-sour candies.
One photograph features Asami Sahara, a mother and part-time caretaker, wearing a green cap and glasses. She voiced her hope that the new rule will encourage her son to reduce his smartphone usage.
Asami Sahara, 38, shared her experience with her 5-year-old son, whom she described as a ‘heavy gamer’ often spending up to four hours on his devices during weekends. She believes the new ordinance could be instrumental in raising public awareness about the potential downsides of excessive smartphone usage.
‘Citizens should observe how this unfolds rather than immediately protesting,’ she advised.
Intriguingly, Ms. Sahara even considered using the new rule as leverage to persuade her son to disconnect.
‘I could probably tell him, ‘You’ll be caught! The ordinance says not to play!” she mused with a smile.
An image inside a train carriage near Toyoake shows three men looking down at their smartphones, highlighting how digital devices help passengers pass the time.
Mayor Kouki, a father to children aged 7 and 10, admitted to making personal adjustments; at his wife’s insistence, he no longer uses his phone during dinner and now favors watching baseball highlight reels over full games. Even with city business, his daily screen time averages about three hours.
He remains convinced that the ordinance will ignite a much-needed conversation within Japanese society.
‘When you board a train in Japan, most passengers are engrossed in their smartphones, completely oblivious to the scenery outside the window,’ he noted. ‘Many people agree that this behavior is abnormal.’
Mayor Kouki hopes Toyoake’s initiative will serve as a model, not just for other Japanese cities but for communities worldwide. He’s even considering further regulations, such as measures to prevent people from using their devices while walking.
‘I don’t shy away from criticism,’ he asserted. ‘My ultimate goal is for families to engage in more communication and for everyone to get more restful sleep.’