What is the law in Japan regarding seating a child at the front and a child at the rear of the bicycle?

Shibuya-ku recently made it illegal, but it was quite the objection against it, that it was relaxed again. I believe it is acceptable if your bike follow some requirement, ie, having being made to carry two (rather than just added on). Shibuya-ku posted a bilingual sign on the rules by the bike parks, I can probably take a picture of it if you want. Personal feelings aside, statistically speaking, their system is working.

This Japan Times article seems to indicate that http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fv20080224lb.html (but doubling is not). http://www.pref.aichi.jp/global/en/living/traffic/index.html, except that children should also wear helmets.

It may depend on the prefecture. This page for Shizuoka says that Shizuoka laws were recently changed to allow it if the bike meets certain requirements: http://www.pref.shizuoka.jp/kenmin/km-130/zitensyadouzyou210701.html I can't imagine that Shizuoka is the only place to allow it, and I've seen folks doing it here in Kanagawa, but idle googling didn't turn up any laws at the national level. If you don't live in Shizuoka, I would search your prefecture's web site and/or just ask at city hall and/or the police. IANAL, etc.

I can't really help, but maybe you could find an English-speaking policeman and ask (unless your Japanese is up to scratch). Japanese police tend to be pretty helpful, and it's my understanding that it shouldn't be too hard to find someone with a reasonable level of English ability in the major cities anyway. It's also possible http://www.debito.org/?page_id=745 might be willing to take on this question, though he generally deals more with immigration/foreigner issues.

TECHNICALLY I think it's illegal. I ride my kids in Japan every day on the bicycle, though, and no one obeys the law. Basically, they made having two kids on a bike illegal a year or so ago, but the real power in Japan, ie the moms, rose up in anger, and the government/police quickly made it clear this is one law they won't be enforcing. Technically helmets are also required, but most people don't use them (I do). In fact, most moms roam around Japan with two kids on the bicycle, no helmets, and not even bothering to use the safety straps. Police don't care. Car seats are also technically required in Japan, but again most people don't use them. It's really disgraceful, actually.

The rule that was introduced (then pulled, or not enforced) said that to ride a child on a bike, the bike had to be one of the electric assist models (which tend to start around $700). Supposedly one is legal, two is not, but at least here in Chiba, you'd have to do something pretty amazing to get the police to even wake up, let alone chase you down. I see parents with two kids on their bikes every day, not a few of them riding one-handed while texting with the other hand, with neither kid wearing helmets. What the law says, and what the police will do are often two very different things here.

Oh, and the fine for riding with one or two passengers on an unauthorized bicycle (or doing so with passengers who are not children) is no more than 20,000 yen.

What armage says about a fine might be true, but you have about as much of a chance of being fined for this as you do for spitting in NYC.

Thanks everybody, great answers. armage, great link. If I could be more specific, I'm wondering particularly about Sapporo. lundman, I would like to see a picture if it's not too hard.