Is it impolite in Japan to use mobile phone in public transportation such as train and bus?

Answer 1

Yes, it is impolite to talk on your cell-phones in the trains or buses.

One reason for this is that the society of Japan has a very high population of percentage of senior citizen, getting the highly traditional ideals and behaviors everywhere you go Japan >> the quiet and refrained nature in most public places.

In addition to this, some senior citizen are living off a "pace-maker", which is a device that controls the heartbeat (surgically implanted into the heart), which means they are controlled by a wave ommiting device. It is said that "handy-phones" sometimes hinder the function of these pace-makers, which is why they forbid people to use handyphones in certain areas of buses and trains, and in other parts to set the handyphones to "silent" mode and to refrain from talking at all.

The younger generation however, do not follow this rule, and you will see from time to time these people talking on their handy-phone in buses and trains.

If you are a foreigner and you are in Japanese train or bus, chances are you will stand out, and the older people might end up cautioning you regarding this quite frequently(strangely, they seldom caution their own younger generation breaking this rule). Just follow their rules, and you will do fine.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

♡Absolutely!
They have big signs posted on the windows!For some reason, some people don't seem to see them though!
Many people want to relax (sleep) on the train or bus and mobile phone use is a bother!
It's very impolite!♡
I always switch mine off /to 'manner mode' when I'm on public transport.(^_-)-☆

Answer 4

Most of the time people are texting while riding, but...if people here do use their cell phones on public transportation they are very discreet and cover their mouth so that they are as quiet as possible. Unlike public transport elsewhere, often buses and trains are completely silent - people sleep, meditate or read (the exception being at night when all the drunken salarymen are heading home! LOL). On most trains the same section that is reserved for pregnant women, elderly people, etc. is otfen designated a "mobile free" zone.

Answer 5

Yes, it is impolite. Virtually every train in Japan has little signs plastered all over it saying things like "Manner mode - please refrain from talking on your cell phone so as to avoid disturbing the other passengers." (rough translation)

Even being loud and boisterous on the train is generally frowned upon; usually only young students or drunk old men make lots of noise. You'll almost *never* see a Japanese person talking on their cell while riding, but you will see people everywhere SMS texting furiously. Some high-school and college age students I've seen are so fast they can type text messages almost as efficiently as they could on a full-size keyboard.

Answer 6

Well, the act of talking on the phone is not what most people consider to be impolite. It is the way they talk. They talk with no regard to people around them, in a voice that is just too loud. There is no way to order people to speak softly, so the next best thing is to just ban the use of phones period.

The worst thing is young people. They practically shout and laugh crazily in public places. And they don't care how disruptive they are to the people around them. They talk like they are wearing headphones, and blasting heavy metal. You get the picture.

Business men and older people (30+) are able to control it a little better, but not when they are talking with close friends. It is just irritating to hear personal conversations. Then when they notice people looking at them they have this look of, "Why are you listening to my conversation?" on they faces. WE CAN'T HELP IT! YOU ARE ANNOUNCING IT TO THE WORLD!

Answer 7

Yes, it is impolite.
You can catch the call in train, but please tell the caller that you are in the train and call him/her back later.
The foreigners who doesn't understand Japanese think it is alright. But it is not alright. Even the announcements of train tell that everyday.
Of couse we are tolerant against other passengers as well. But it is not alright.

Especially at the seat for handicapped ppl.
It is written on the wall that you should turn-OFF the phone around this seat.
Because the radio wave affect a harmful influence to the pace-maker of the heart.

This is the basic.

Answer 8

I would think not, considering the number of Japanese that I have seen chatting on their phones while on the train. However, on some trains (such as the shinkansen) they do ask that you go to the section between the cars if you're going to be making a call. And tecnnically that would be the polite thing to do. Despite everyone's image of "polite Japanese" there are also rude people here as well....

Answer 9

Japanese Public Transportation

Answer 10

Yes, but lots of people do it anyway. You are also supposed to turn off your mobile phone before you enter a theater, and before you go into a hospital. But, not everyone has good manners, and sometimes people forget.