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

The Japanese government has reduced the speed limit on 70% of the country's general roads from 60km/h to 30km/h to enhance safety on narrow city streets. This new regulation, implemented on Tuesday, pertains to residential roads without center lines or speed limit signs, which are prevalent in densely populated Japanese cities. Data suggests that children and elderly individuals face a higher risk of fatal or serious accidents on these narrow roads.

Approximately 870,000 kilometers of roads, less than 5.5 meters wide and lacking center lines or median strips, are affected by this measure, constituting around 70% of the nation's general roads, according to the Mainichi Shimbun.

Authorities believe the speed reduction will address the persistent safety concerns surrounding residential areas, which have not witnessed the same level of improvement as larger roads. Although the overall traffic fatalities have declined to a record low of 2,457 in 2024, accidents involving children and older pedestrians on residential roads have remained relatively stable at about 300 annually since 2021, with an increase for the first time in three years in 2025, as reported by the national police agency.

The introduction of "zone 30" areas on select residential streets and along school routes in 2011 led to a 30% reduction in fatalities and serious injuries. Police agency statistics reveal that pedestrian mortality rates are less than 1% in accidents involving vehicles traveling at or below 30km/h. However, this rate increases to 2.7% at speeds between 30-40km/h and rises to 17.4% at speeds between 50-60km/h.

The police agency's commissioner general, Yoshinobu Kusunoki, urged drivers to recognize the necessity of exercising caution on roads shared by vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists.