The city of Toyoake in central Japan has submitted a draft ordinance urging all residents to restrict discretionary smartphone and tablet use to two hours a day. Mayor Masafumi Koki told the municipal assembly on 25 August that excessive screen time is contributing to sleep loss and mental-health problems across age groups, and said the measure is intended as a guideline rather than a legally binding rule. The proposal—formally titled the Toyoake Ordinance on Appropriate Use of Smartphones—includes recommended curfews of 9 p.m. for elementary-school pupils and 10 p.m. for junior-high students and older. Work and study-related use would be exempt, and no fines or other penalties are planned. City officials say the bill is the first in Japan to cover an entire population rather than focusing only on children. Public feedback has been sharply divided. By midday on 25 August the city had received 83 phone calls and 44 emails, about 80 percent of which questioned whether local government should police private leisure time. Supporters, however, welcomed the move as a step toward tackling smartphone dependency. The ordinance is now in committee review and is scheduled for a plenary vote on 22 September. If adopted, it would take effect on 1 October. The initiative comes as authorities worldwide step up efforts to curb digital overuse, with South Korea preparing a nationwide classroom phone ban in 2026 and several U.S. states ordering schools to draft restriction policies.