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| Toyoake officials propose two-hour leisure screen guideline |
City officials say the move aims to curb the health harms tied to heavy device use, with a sharp eye on sleep for school-age kids. The draft calls the limit a recommendation meant to spark thought, not to punish people.
If the local assembly approves the measure, the ordinance would take effect on Oct. 1, according to the draft timetable. The plan covers phones, tablets, computers and handheld gaming devices used outside work or study.
The draft is specific about young people. It urges elementary pupils to stop using smartphones after 9 p.m. and asks junior high students and older to put devices away by 10 p.m. The city wants schools and parents to work together on the guidance.
Behind the idea is growing worry in Japan about long screen hours. A recent government-linked survey found that children spend just over five hours online on weekdays on average. That figure helped push local officials to act.
This kind of draft is rare in Japan. Toyoake’s local government says it may be the first municipal rule of this kind in the country that sets a daily suggested cap on device time. The city framed the draft as a nudge to think about habits, not as a law to enforce.
The draft also names the harms officials hope to curb. It warns that late-night scrolling and long streams of video can harm sleep, family life and mental and physical health. The measure notes that devices are useful, but that overuse can be a real problem.
Not everyone is on board. Online reaction was quick and sharp. Many users called the two-hour idea unrealistic. Others said family rules, not city rules, should set phone limits. The pushback prompted local officials to stress the non-binding nature of the draft.
Across reports, coverage has been steady and wide. International outlets picked up the story after local reporters and wire services ran the draft text and city comments. That spread helped put the measure in the spotlight faster than usual for a municipal ordinance.
How would the city try to make the recommendation stick if it passes? The draft says Toyoake will work with schools and parents to promote healthy device habits. That could mean school programs, information drives and advice for families. There are no enforcement rules tied to the draft.
Some experts and observers say soft rules can help spark family talks and school programs. Others say a voluntary cap without tools or support risks being ignored. The debate is alive in town halls, school meetings and online, and it shows how modern life keeps colliding with old routines.
Toyoake’s mayor and city staff framed the move as a health nudge. They want the ordinance to be an “opportunity” for residents to think about device use and sleep, and to prompt local programs that back healthier habits. The city emphasized the draft does not ban devices in daily life.
The draft also recognizes that phones and computers are essential tools. It says the goal is to reduce excess use of social media and video streaming that may hurt sleep or family ties, rather than to penalize ordinary, necessary use.
Local councils will now debate the draft in coming sessions. If the assembly gives the green light, the city’s timeline points to an October 1 start date. That is the last confirmed administrative detail published so far.