This city has capped screen time to just two hours a day

Toyoake, a city in Japan’s Aichi prefecture, has introduced a non-binding guideline encouraging residents to limit daily screen time to just two hours.

The recommendation applies to smartphones, gaming consoles and other digital devices outside of work and school.

Set to take effect on 1 October, officials said the move recognises how central screens have become in everyday life, while also warning that too much time online, especially streaming videos, can affect sleep and family life.

The guideline recommends that primary school children avoid using smartphones after 9pm, while high school students and older adults are encouraged to switch off by 10pm.

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"The two-hour limit... is merely a guideline... to encourage citizens," Toyoake Mayor Masafumi Koki said in a statement.

"This does not mean the city will limit its residents' rights or impose duties," he continued.

"Rather, I hope this serves as an opportunity for each family to think about and discuss the time spent on smartphones as well as the time of day the devices are used."

The guideline also urges parents to set clear limits on device use at home and includes plans for a support system offering advice on managing screen time.

During the consultation period, over 120 residents contacted city officials, with around 80 per cent expressing opposition to the proposal, according to Japanese news outlet Mainichi.

A smaller number of people, however, voiced their support.

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