In a drastic move to enhance pedestrian safety, Japanese police plan to reduce the speed limit on narrow "community roads" in residential areas to 30 kilometers per hour, beginning in September 2026.
Currently, the legal speed limit on ordinary roads across Japan is uniformly set at 60 kph. Introducing a new 30 kph limit on certain roads will require the National Police Agency to undertake the challenging task of raising public awareness and ensuring compliance with the new regulation.
According to the agency, the new 30 kph speed limit will apply to general roads without a central dividing line, primarily those less than 5.5 meters wide. General roads refer to all roads except those designated for exclusive use by automobiles, such as expressways.
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