Japan police to fine minor rule-breaking cyclists from next April

Japan will implement a revised road traffic law from April next year that will see fines imposed for relatively minor traffic violations such as using a mobile phone while riding a bicycle or ignoring a traffic light, police said Thursday.

Starting April 1, 2026, police can issue people aged 16 and older so-called blue tickets, which exempt an offender from being indicted if they pay a fine, for more than 100 violations, as the country seeks to crack down on rule-breaking cyclists.

Currently, cyclists are only given a red ticket for some 20 serious offenses, including riding while being heavily intoxicated. A red ticket requires an investigation that can lead to a criminal procedure, creating a burden for both the police and the offender.

The blue tickets are expected to be delivered when an offender does not follow a police officer’s instructions or when causing danger to road traffic.

Blue ticket fines will be set at 12,000 yen ($84) for using a mobile phone while operating a bicycle or looking attentively at its screen, 6,000 yen for ignoring a traffic light, 5,000 yen for riding a bicycle while holding an umbrella or listening to music through earphones and 3,000 yen for riding with a pillion.

The revised law also requires cyclists to keep to the left on a road as much as possible and vehicles to pass a bicycle on the road at a safe speed.

Following a rise in popularity of bicycles as a means of commuting amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has taken steps to reduce accidents involving bicycle riders. In November 2024, prison terms and fines were introduced for those cycling under the influence of alcohol or posing danger to traffic by using a mobile phone.