Japan to lower residential road speed limits to 30 km/h in September

Starting September 1, Japan will implement an amendment to the Road Traffic Act that reduces the statutory speed limit on residential roads from 60 km/h to 30 km/h. The change aims to significantly decrease the risk of fatalities in pedestrian accidents.

In Nagano Prefecture, police have issued warnings to drivers following 439 accidents and eight deaths on residential roads as of August 19. Authorities emphasize that maintaining speeds below 30 km/h drastically improves survival rates for pedestrians hit by vehicles.

An analysis by Geo-Technologies reveals a gap between public awareness and actual driving habits. While approximately 90% of surveyed drivers support the change, less than 10% correctly understood the specific details of the new limit and which roads are affected. Data shows that in many regions outside of Tokyo, 60% to 90% of vehicles currently exceed 30 km/h on these roads. Drivers also expressed concerns regarding the difficulty of identifying target roads and the potential for pressure from following vehicles.