Authorities will not track residents’ smartphone use and there will be no penalties, city officials say, for exceeding the two-hour recommendation. (Kentaro Takahashi/The New York Times) Asami Sahara, a mother and part-time caretaker, with her phone in Toyoake, Japan, on Sept. 29, 2025. He said it would be difficult for the city to counter the gravitational pull of smartphones; he spends about five to six hours daily on his devices. Smartphones help passengers pass the time on a train near Toyoake, Japan, on Sept. 29, 2025. (Kentaro Takahashi/The New York Times) Smartphones help passengers pass the time on a train near Toyoake, Japan, on Sept. 29, 2025.