Japanese city to ask children to use smartphones for just 2 hours a day
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The ordinance will urge primary school pupils to put down their phones after 9pm, and junior high students and older to put their devices down by 10pm
PHOTO: ST FILE
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TOKYO – A city in Japan will attempt to encourage children to limit their smartphone use to just two hours a day through an ordinance, the local government said on Aug 21, but enforcement will not be easy.
The move by the city of Toyoake in Aichi prefecture to set guidelines for the use of smartphones and other electronic devices outside of school hours is likely the first such attempt in Japan.
If enacted, the ordinance will come into effect on Oct 1.
The ordinance will urge primary school pupils to refrain from using smartphones after 9pm, and junior high students and older to put their devices down by 10pm to ensure they get a good night’s sleep.
Given the difficulties in enforcing such a directive, there will be no penalties for violating the guidelines, officials said. The ordinance will acknowledge that smartphones, personal computers and tablets are necessities of daily life, but will warn that excessive use of social media and video streaming may have a negative impact on health and family life.
The city will work with schools and parents to promote the healthy use of electronic devices, officials said.
“We want the ordinance to provide an opportunity for people to think about how they use smartphones,” an official said. KYODO NEWS
