The successful future of Yamato’s non-punishable anti-smartphone law depends largely on social interpretation. Suzuki attributes what he calls “a 1.5 criteria” to whether a law without punishment is complied with. “Criterion one is whether the society considers the behaviour as dangerous or not, thus being meiwaku,” he says. The other 0.5 criterion is whether the act will be deemed socially awkward by your peers.

Suzuki points out that if something like a fatal accident were to happen, it could be enough to shock people into compliance. But he also thinks that because the media are interested in Yamato’s ban and will be watching to see how it works, “[it] could create an awkward atmosphere for smartphone users over the next few months”.

“We are already so addicted to our smartphones,” he warns, “so if our desire to check our phones trumps the social awkwardness of not following the law, then the situation will no longer be awkward.”

It’s a silent battle now to see which social value comes out on top.