Starting on April 1, cyclists in Japan will be regulated under a new “blue ticket” system, which will fine those who are caught violating traffic rules, such as by using smartphones while cycling or ignoring stoplights. 

Here is what to know ahead of the change to avoid possible penalization while on the road.

Why the change?

Until recently, traffic violations by cyclists had only two outcomes — receiving a warning or being charged with a criminal offense. In most cases, those caught would receive a warning “yellow card” from the police that did not subject the cyclist to any real fine or penalty. 

When violations are more severe — such as cycling while intoxicated or causing a traffic accident due to dangerous road behavior — a “red ticket” would be issued, where the rider would get a fine and a criminal record if convicted in court.

However, processing the red tickets was lengthy and inefficient, making it difficult for the police to curb the number of accidents involving cyclists. 

In fact, the number of accidents involving a pedestrian and cyclist hit a record high in 2025 with nearly 3,300 reported cases. In three-quarters of fatal or serious-injury traffic accidents involving a bicycle, there are traffic violations committed by the cyclist as well. 

What is going to change?

As a remedy, the National Police Agency will roll out the blue-ticket system that will fine violators on the spot when caught breaking traffic rules. 

Both the yellow card warnings and red tickets will continue to exist. The blue tickets are intended to encourage cyclists to follow rules in order to avoid fines and criminal prosecution for minor violations. 

A blue ticket will be handed out to all cyclists over the age of 16 who are caught violating a traffic rule. In addition to a ticket outlining their offense, they will be given a fine. 

The violator must visit a bank or post office and pay the fine by its deadline — typically within a week of the offense — in order to resolve the matter and prevent it from moving forward to a criminal proceeding, which might result in a record. 

What constitutes an offense and how much are the fines?

There are over 100 traffic rule violations that can be fined under the new system. The highest fine, set for those who are caught using their smartphones while riding their bicycles, is ¥12,000.   

Other common violations include using headphones or having an open umbrella, which are subject to ¥5,000 fines. The same fine applies to riding a bicycle at night without lights on. 

Riding a bicycle on the wrong side of the road or ignoring traffic lights will result in a ¥6,000 fine. If two people are caught riding one bike, they will receive a ¥3,000 fine.

Cycling while intoxicated will be treated as a more serious offense, subject to red tickets, which can result in a criminal record, imprisonment and a fine. 

More details on the various traffic rules can be found on the National Police Agency's official website.