It is necessary not to cause excessive discomfort.

such images could be unnerving

Causing a decrease in sales, and in the thickness of my regular brown envelopes

Isn't that the purpose

The research on whether graphic photos actually discourage smoking still is showing mixed results. I don't smoke, and I would rather not have to see hideous pictures on someone else's cigarette pack.

I saw a Chinese version that simply showed a young woman with a mirror reflecting an aged version of herself (caused by tobacco). I would thing that's more effective than nasty images of tumors that people will quickly become inured to.

Because smoking itself causes discomfort to no one?

People deserve the right to off themselves as long as they don't involve non-smokers. Smoke away!

A member of a government panel

....with close ties to big tobbacco

Yeah yeah any excuse to avoid the elephant in the room (ie. affecting JT tobacco sales). Hurry up & introduce stronger anti-smoking laws!

It has been proven many times that smokers pay so much taxes in Japan that if they all suddenly stopped the country would be quite screwed. And let's face it, in a country where people live so long, they need smoking to stop the population aging even further. That being said though I quit a year ago and it's the best decision I've ever made.

It has been proven many times that smokers pay so much taxes in Japan that if they all suddenly stopped the country would be quite screwed.

Pretty sure that Japan's cigarette tax is among the lowest in the developed world. The bigger problem is that Japan Tobacco is a socialized business, one-third owned by the government, and they have obligations to domestic tobacco farmers. There aren't many, but they have political clout.

The first thing to do is for the Japanese government to divest itself of all tobacco investments.

such images could be unnerving.

Politicians talking for lobbies are unnerving.