Japan halves speed limit to 30km/h on all narrow city streets

Japan has reduced its speed limit on many narrow city streets to 30km/h in a bid to enhance pedestrian safety, the Mainichi Shimbun reports. The new limit comes into effect on Tuesday and covers residential roads without central lines or speed signs, which are prevalent in densely populated Japanese cities. These roads, often less than 5.5 meters wide, account for around 70% of the nation's general roads, according to the newspaper.

The measure aims to address the ongoing concern that residential areas are not witnessing the same safety improvements as larger roads. Despite a nationwide drop in traffic fatalities to a record low of 2,457 in 2024, accidents involving children and older pedestrians on residential streets have remained steady at around 300 per year since 2021 and increased for the first time in three years in 2025, as per national police agency data.

Introducing "zone 30" areas on select residential streets and near schools in 2011 resulted in a 30% reduction in fatalities and serious injuries. Police data indicate that the mortality rate for pedestrians drops below 1% when vehicles travel at or below 30km/h, but it surges to 2.7% at speeds between 30-40km/h and jumps to 17.4% at speeds of 50-60km/h.

Yoshinobu Kusunoki, the police agency's commissioner general, urged drivers to exercise heightened caution on roads shared by vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists.