Hoping to minimize the negative effects that smartphones can have on children, students in elementary and junior high schools in Kariya, Aichi Prefecture, will be banned from using cellphones after 9 p.m.
The ban, however, will have no binding power and it won't be officially issued by City Hall. Whether to follow the rule will be left to each family.
The PTA and a local group consisting of teachers, social workers and police came up with the idea several months ago and agreed last month that they will work together to "request" that parents and children follow the rule starting in April, said Fushitoshi Ohashi, who heads the group and is the principal of Karigane Junior High School.