(Adnkronos) – Two hours a day, no more. That will be the time that citizens of Toyoake, Japan, can spend on smartphones. Mayor Masafumi Kouki decided this, intending to promote a more appropriate use of phones, laptops, and tablets in the suburb of the industrial metropolis of Nagoya with an ordinance. Currently, no penalties are foreseen for those who exceed the recommended two-hour limit, which applies equally to adults and children and was approved by the city council with a vote of 12 in favor against 7 opposed.
Interviewed by Afp, Masafumi Kouki stated that he is concerned about the “negative effects of excessive smartphone use, particularly the sharp decline in direct human communication. Even on trains, everyone stares at their phone and no one talks anymore” and ”this cannot be considered normal. So I wanted to create an opportunity for our residents to reflect on whether they are using their smartphones too much”.
One of the goals is to improve citizens’ health by helping them sleep more and better. The Toyoake ordinance specifically invites elementary school students to avoid using smartphones after 9 PM, while middle and high school students are advised not to use them after 10 PM. Studies show that, in addition to smartphones interfering with sleep and potentially impacting mental health, excessive social media use is associated with loneliness, depression, and anxiety.
