NAGOYA – The assembly of a central Japan city on Monday passed an ordinance that recommends all residents limit their use of smartphones, video game consoles and other digital devices to two hours a day outside of work and school, though there will be no penalties.
The ordinance enacted in Toyoake in Aichi Prefecture comes amid concerns over the impact of excessive technology exposure and is believed to be the first of its kind in Japan. It is slated to come into effect on Oct. 1.
While recognizing the necessity of smartphones, tablets and other digital devices, the ordinance warns that overuse of video streaming could have harmful effects, including sleep deprivation and reduced family interaction.
The ordinance called for elementary school children to refrain from using smartphones after 9 p.m. and junior high school students and older to do so after 10 p.m., stating that “sufficient sleep is essential for physical and mental growth” for all children under 18.
The ordinance urged guardians to set household rules for device use, with the city promising to establish a system in which it receives consultations from parents.
Toyoake Mayor Masafumi Kouki has told Kyodo News that the city set the time limits on smartphone use in the ordinance on the basis of healthy sleep guidelines from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, calculating the average weekday usage time at two hours and concluding that exceeding this could result in sleep deprivation.
AloJapan.com