Yamato City, a commuter suburb about 30km from Tokyo, has introduced a ban on using smartphones while walking, despite no penalties for breaking the rule. The ban, enacted via municipal ordinance in June, aims to reduce accidents caused by distracted pedestrians, known locally as 'arukisumaho' or 'smartphone zombies'. A study in January found that about 12% of 6,000 pedestrians in the city were using their phones while walking.
Mayor Satoru Ohki, the driving force behind the policy, says a public consultation showed eight out of 10 residents supported the idea. Initially, workers in high-visibility vests held signs and played a recorded message near Yamato Station, but due to Covid-19, only a few fabric signs remain. Ohki says he trusts residents to comply voluntarily.
Japan's collectivist culture, emphasising harmony (wa) and avoiding being a nuisance (meiwaku), may help the ban succeed without enforcement. Similar unwritten rules, like not using phones on public transport, are widely observed. A 2019 survey found 96.6% of Japanese smartphone users are aware of the dangers of walking while using phones, and 9.5% had been injured as a result.
Other countries have taken different approaches: South Korea's Ilsan uses flickering lights and lasers at crossings, China's Chongqing has a 'cellphone lane', and Honolulu fines for texting while crossing. Yamato's ban, however, relies on social pressure. Lawyer Naota Suzuki notes that unenforced laws can be effective in Japan due to the concept of meiwaku.
Resident Atsuko Nabata, who cycles through Tokyo, strongly supports the ban, saying she often has to avoid phone-users and has been hit before. The city hopes the policy will lead to an organic change in behaviour, reducing the risk of collisions and injuries.
