Japan cuts residential street speed limit to 30 km/h to protect pedestrians

Japan introduced a nationwide reduction of the speed limit on narrow residential streets, dropping it from 60 km/h to 30 km/h as of Tuesday. The rule applies to roughly 870,000 km of roads less than 5.5 metres wide that lack centre lines or median strips, representing about 70% of the country's general road network. Officials say the move aims to address the steady number of pedestrian deaths and serious injuries involving children and older adults, which have hovered around 300 annually since 2021 and rose in 2025.

Data from the national police agency indicate that pedestrian mortality jumps sharply as vehicle speed exceeds 30 km/h. Earlier limited "zone 30" programs on selected streets and school routes cut fatalities and serious injuries by 30%, prompting the broader rollout. Police agency commissioner general Yoshinobu Kusunoki urged drivers to exercise heightened caution where vehicles share space with pedestrians and cyclists.