Ordinance of 2-hour Regulation for Smartphone Use

The City Assembly of Toyoake, Aichi, passed on September 22nd an ordinance which prohibits the residents to use their smartphone beyond two hours a day. It will be activated on October 1st. It is the first attempt for a municipality in Japan to legislate regulation of using smartphone regardless people’s age. Imposing no penalty on violation of the ordinance, the city urges its residents to consider negative impact of the electronic device on their health.

The ordinance requires the parents and schools in Toyoake city to urge their children not to use smartphone beyond for hours a day during their free time. Considering necessity for keeping enough time for sleeping, the ordinance recommends students in the age of elementary school or younger not to use their smartphone after 9 p.m. in the evening, and high school students are guided to finish it on 10 p.m.

 

The ordinance also proposes each family to set a rule in using smartphone not only for children, but for parents. Although Kagawa prefectural government set a rule in 2020 for the people under 18 years old not to play internet game beyond 60 minutes on weekdays and 90 minutes on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Toyoake city extended the recommendation to all the residents.

 

Toyoake city explains that the biggest purpose of the ordinance is to secure time for sleeping, quoting recommendation of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for the youths to take 8-hour sleep or more. Acknowledging people’s frustration against control of local government on their private life, the city emphasizes that the ordinance is nothing more than a guidance for free time after working and not aimed at surveillance of the people.

 

The Toyoake City Assembly is dominated by conservative members who support the mayor, Masafumi Kouki. The bill passed with approval of twelve members against the opposition of seven. “Two hours is not a fixed rule. I hope the people to think about appropriate way of using smartphone and talk about it in each family,” said Kouki in his statement.

 

Receiving fundamental question on intervention of private life, the assembly passed a resolution to urge the city government to make further effort to get rid of misunderstandings. The resolution demands respect for lifestyles of each citizen, earnest explanation and detailed information about the ordinance, close communication with children and their parents, proper review based on constant hearing from the people, and verification about effect of the ordinance.

 

The city quoted examples in foreign countries on regulation of smartphone use. France legislated regulation on access to social networking service (SNS) by the people under fifteen. Australia is introducing a ban for young agers under sixteen to open their account of SNS. Experts are divided between the advocates of the regulation for young agers’ health and the contenders who argue necessity to look into the details of each child’s problem.

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