The small Japanese city of Toyoake is making headlines with an unprecedented proposal that would legally limit residents’ daily screen time to just two hours, marking one of the most ambitious attempts to regulate digital device usage in modern history.
Home to nearly 70,000 residents in Aichi Prefecture, Toyoake’s city council is preparing to debate the “Ordinance Regarding the Promotion of Appropriate Use of Smartphones and the Like” – a sweeping measure that would restrict not only smartphone usage but also tablets, personal computers, and gaming consoles.
The proposed ordinance goes far beyond typical screen time recommendations, establishing strict curfews for different age groups. Under the current draft, children would be prohibited from using any electronic devices after 9 PM, while teenagers could extend their usage until 10 PM.
Mayor Masafumi Koki, 56, is championing the initiative as a way to encourage residents to “consider the societal issue of their appropriate use” of digital devices. The proposal cites concerns that smart devices “disrupt lifestyle rhythms, adversely impact health, and reduce the amount of conversation between family members.”
While the ordinance includes exceptions for work-related and educational purposes, allowing students and employees to use devices for necessary tasks, critics have already identified potential complications with the proposal’s implementation.
The law’s broad scope creates some puzzling scenarios for residents. For instance, someone who spends their two-hour allowance on a computer could legally read a physical paperback book afterward, but switching to a Kindle for the same reading activity would violate the ordinance. Similarly, while the proposal targets video platforms like YouTube, it reportedly makes no mention of traditional television viewing time.
This isn’t entirely uncharted territory for Japan. In 2020, Kagawa prefecture implemented restrictions limiting children under 18 to just 60 minutes of screen time on weekdays and 90 minutes on weekends, though those measures only applied to minors.
The worldwide average daily screen time for people aged 16-64 has reached six hours and 40 minutes, with Americans leading at approximately seven hours per day. Japan’s current average of four hours and 25 minutes daily is already significantly lower than many Western nations, making the proposed two-hour limit even more dramatic by comparison.
The initiative comes as educational institutions worldwide grapple with similar digital distractions. Many schools across the United States have implemented phone bans during school hours for the 2025 academic year, citing classroom disruption concerns.