Fines for minor bicycle traffic violations (blue tickets), which will be introduced on April 1 next year, will be between 3,000 yen ($21) and 12,000 yen, and can be applied to those aged 16 and over.

The amounts have been officially decided after soliciting public opinions about the proposed amendments to the Cabinet ordinance for Enforcement of the Road Traffic Law for one month through May 24.

The fines include 12,000 yen for distracted driving while holding a smartphone or other devices, 6,000 yen for traveling the wrong way or riding on the sidewalk, and 3,000 yen for two or more bikes riding side by side or riding with two people on a bicycle.

Until the introduction of the Blue Ticket system, bad cycling could only bet met with criminal penalties, which may be excessive in cases where an injury, damage or disruption results, or be ignored.

The blue ticket system applies for relatively minor violations and does not impose criminal penalties if the violator pays the fine.

Serious violations such as drunk cycling and obstructive cycling, such as tailgating, will continue to be dealt with by issuing a traffic ticket (red ticket), which is subject to criminal penalties, as it was prior to the introduction of the new regulations.

Most of responses obtained during the public comment period pertained to bicycling on sidewalks. Many respondents stated that roads where cars drive are not safe for bicyclists and that it is wrong to prohibit them from riding on the sidewalks.

However, the NPA answered that police will use the blue ticket system for particularly dangerous violations.

Opinions were equally divided about whether the fines for bicyclists, which are the same as those for moped riders, are “too high” or “too low to deter.” After studying the public comments, the NPA decided to keep the fines at their original amounts.

The public comment system received 5,926 comments, of which over 4,000 were about the violation of cycling on sidewalks.

In principle, bicyclists must travel on the same roads as cars, and cycling on sidewalks is limited to areas where there are signs approving it, and to people under the age of 13 or to those 70 or older, and people with physical disabilities.

Exceptions are also permitted in cases where there is a risk of accidents, such as roads where the vehicular traffic volume is extremely high.

Feedback included concerns that bicycle paths are underdeveloped, making roads unsafe for cyclists, and that banning bicycles from sidewalks is wrong in the first place.

In response, the NPA explained that even after the introduction of the blue ticket system for bicycles, violations of simply riding on sidewalks will continue to result only in guidance and warnings, as it did before this change.

However, it warns that malicious and dangerous behavior will be subject to crackdowns.

Cases of riding bicycles on sidewalks at high speeds and surprising or forcing pedestrians to stop or continuing to ride on sidewalks despite warnings from police officers will be cracked down upon.

The police have strengthened their crackdowns on violations of bicyclists, and the number of cases is increasing.

In 2024, 51,564 cases were identified, which was 17 percent more than the previous year, and a 4.3-fold increase from 10 years ago.

However, by type, there were only 412 cases of riding on sidewalks, which accounts for only 0.8 percent of the total.

The most common violations are failure to stop at a stop sign and ignoring traffic lights, each of which accounts for about 40 percent of the total, followed by entering a railroad crossing with the barrier down, riding on the right side of roads, and drunk cycling.

Major bicycle violations and fines include:

- Using a smartphone or other devices while cycling—12,000 yen
- Entering a blocked railroad crossing—7,000 yen
- Ignoring traffic lights—6,000 yen
- Ignoring traffic divisions (such as driving the wrong way or riding on the sidewalk)—6,000 yen
- Failing to stop temporarily at a designated location—5,000 yen
- Cycling without lights at night—5,000 yen
- Cycling with defective brakes or without brakes—5,000 yen
- Violation of Public Safety Commission rules such as riding a bicycle while holding an umbrella or not being able to hear necessary sounds because of earphones—5,000 yen
- Obstructing an emergency vehicle—5,000 yen
- Riding with two or more bikes side by side, riding a bicycle with two people—3,000 yen