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 heavi…READ FULL ARTICLE