Photo/Illutration A 30 kph speed limit will be introduced to many community roads in September 2026. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

A 30 kph speed limit will apply to traffic in many residential neighborhoods from September 2026 to reduce accidents.

Under a revision to the Order for Enforcement of the Road Traffic Law, approved at a Cabinet meeting on July 23, the new legal speed limit will be applied to community roads that have no center line, center divider or similar guideposts.

Many of the roads that will be subject to the 30 kph speed limit are less than 5.5 meters wide, according to the National Police Agency.

It is a significant reduction. Currently, vehicles can travel on these roads up to 60 kph unless the maximum speed limit is specified otherwise by a road sign.

The NPA accepted public comments on the proposed revision. The roughly monthlong consultation period closed at the end of June.

Some respondents said wide roads in suburban farmland and mountainous areas should be excluded from the 30 kph speed limit, despite their lack of center line or divider.

The NPA said it will specify the speed limit for these roads on a case-by-case basis, based on local conditions and residents’ requests.

The government also decided to change a regulation about paint markings on pedestrian crossings to reduce installation and maintenance costs.

Effective July 26, the maximum interval between the white markings will be widened to 90 centimeters, double the current limit.

The NPA originally wanted to introduce the new limit to all crosswalks, but it changed the plan to ensure the safety of visually impaired pedestrians.

The wider intervals will be initially allowed only for crossings with a traffic light with sound signals or those equipped with braille blocks.

Some people during the public consultation period said that wider gaps would make it difficult for those visually impaired to tell if they are on a crosswalk because they rely on the thickness of the white paint they feel underfoot.

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