A draft ordinance that proposes a limit of two hours of smartphone use, outside of work or study purposes, was voted on in Toyoaki City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, today. The ordinance passed with 12 out of 19 council members voting in favor. All local citizens should follow the new rule starting from October 1. However, “there is no enforcement or penalty in the ordinance,” reports Japan’s NHK (machine translation).
We reported on this upcoming vote about a month ago. The news raised our interest, as Toyoaki City council would be among the first to attempt to regulate smartphone usage to reap health benefits for the local population. Though the ordinance will cover all citizens of Toyoaki, there is certainly a sense that this is a ‘tool’ with which to coerce school children into reducing their free time screen time.
“Toyoaki City says that smartphones are essential for daily life, but prolonged use may affect the home environment, such as lack of sleep, and may hinder the healthy growth of children,” reports NHK. Children of school age should follow additional advice to put down their devices by 9 pm if at elementary school or younger, and by 10 pm if a junior high school student or above.
Arguments for and against the ordinance
As we noted in the intro, the ordinance didn’t pass without some dissent. Naysayers on the council put forward several arguments against the proposed two-hour free time rule. One said that smartphone usage should be "determined in the context of family discipline." Another indicated that some children find important refuge from school and home life on their smartphones.
However, the majority who voted to pass the ordinance today insisted that it will help prevent device addiction. Moreover, citizens should think of it as “a gentle proposal for citizens to reconsider their lives and child-rearing,” and that is its value. Indeed, it is worth repeating, the new rule is non-binding and without penalty – and thus much more like official guidance or advice.
In a speech to the press, Mayor Toyoaki echoed this advisory sentiment, underlining that the two hours “is just a guideline.” He mused that it would be useful if citizens checked themselves for health and sleep benefits after making changes to their leisure time smartphone habits.
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