Smoking paradise Japan tries to kick the habit

Aso questions link between smoking and lung cancer. Later in article, Japan has 130,000 deaths a year from lung cancer. Aso of course must smoke, no other way he could make such a stupid statement. Nice to know that when Aso retires he can become a scientist and research the link between smoking and cancer, already established 60 years ago by the tobacco companies themselves but hidden from the public in order to make money.

Shame that no-one seems to enforce the no smoking on the street bylaw.

No point having rules of there is no penalty for ignoring them.

Just get on with it and ban.

Shame that no-one seems to enforce the no smoking on the street bylaw.

This is not covered by law but by local ordinances. Where there is an ordinance, it may or may not be enforced. In my patch there is an ordinance and it is enforced. The ward has patrols out in the morning near major train stations.

Shame that no-one seems to enforce the no smoking on the street bylaw.

Where it is enforced, the smokers escape to restaurants. Which is preferable: outside or inside?

The biggest shame is that government still hasn't fully divested from Japan Tobacco.

display their smoking status on the door

What about the non-smokers with a nicotine-addicted Bucho?

Gaffe-prone Finance Minister Taro Aso recently questioned the long-established link between smoking cigarettes and lung cancer.

Just what exactly is this fool smoking?

J-politicians how wonderfully primitive.

Come just put on your damned nikes & DO IT!!

BAN cigs in restaurants it is EASY & the smart thing to do!

This conflict leaves anti-smoking campaigners fuming in a country where cigarettes sell for around 430 yen a pack, and carry only modest health warning labels.

Slap a 1000 yen tax on every packet of smokes BEFORE the anti smoking laws. It should be expensive to smoke. Get rid of the cig vending machines, and make it illegal for conbinis to sell them as well. Just don't put cigarettes in every aspect of people's lives. How are people going to quit when cigarettes are everywhere they look? Out of sight out of mind.

Also, it should be illegal for minors to work in smoke filled establishments. THAT'LL get establishments to go smoke free REAL fast in staff-desperate Japan. It is absurd that we tell young people that they can't smoke or buy cigs til they're 20 and yet allow them as teens to work in smoke infested izakaya and coffee shops and restaurants as staff, exposing them to second hand smoke. Its just stupid.

Japan’s government gets billions of yen annually in cigarette tax revenue, and still owns a one-third stake in JT—the third-biggest global tobacco company with brands including Winston, Camel and Benson & Hedges.

And Japan calls itself civilized? What kind of civilized nation's government owns shares in a tabacco company? This should be considered a conflict of interest. Worse, its criminal.

Smoking kills some 130,000 people in Japan annually, with another 15,000 dying of second-hand smoke related illnesses, Mercado added.

So the japanese gov is directly responsible for 145,000 Japanese deaths every year. Who needs terrorism? The gov is doing a much better job than ISIL EVER could.

“As a cigarette lover, I feel like this is not a good idea—how would I live if smoking is banned everywhere?” Takeshita told reporters

Typical LDP twat. Only thinks about himself. Doesn't give a hoot about what's good for society or its children. Muppet.

“It would be better if it’s completely banned” in restaurants, Kumiko Tanaka, a 27-year-old non-smoker, told AFP.

Agree with Kumiko.

Campaigners said less smoking will be a hit with millions of tourists visiting for the Olympics in three years, and might just enhance Japan’s famous service culture, known as “omotenashi.” “It’s the last ingredient that we need to give people our best hospitality,”

Exactly. Omotenashi means JACK if you can't have a meal in a restaurant without coming out smelling like an ashtray.

Sorry that is Restaurants, all thumbs and fingers.

"places with less than 30 square metes of floor space would not be affected by the restrictions"

Considering how many small restaurants there are in Japan, that's probably the majority!

My husband works for a moving company, and he complained to his boss about fellow workers smoking in the truck to and from jobs. Aside from the immediate health risks associated with passive smoking, he was concerned about how their clothes smelled. His boss said he would address the situation during their Monday meeting. Monday rolled around and the boss announced that anyone who complained about petty matters pertaining to smokers should go find another job. That was it, that was his company's attitude towards banning smoking. Just wow.

My wife, I and eldest son are all non-smokers but for some reason, 2nd son is unfortunately a heavy smoker. So every time my younger son comes around, I advise him of the health hazards of smoking. But he pays no attention to the warning and ends up smoking outside the house. Hopefully, recent anti-smoking movements n Japan will make him kick the habit cold turkey.

THis is one of the things I love about Japan! That fact you can smoke pretty much anywhere. I often light up in an izakaya or sumfin that allows smoking and if there's a foreigner sitting at the table next to me they always give me a dirty look! If you don't to smell the smoke, go to a non smoking restaurant!

The only ones responsible for their death because of smoking are the smokers. It is a choice you may not like but you have no right to judge them.

Health is a personal wealth you have the right to use as you wish.

Nobody is forced to walk 5KM/day or control his diet or … or … or …!

2nd hand smoke while not in a confined area has no more health incidence than any other pollutant (e.g. car) and smell is not a valid reason to prohibit it (e.g perfume).

In confined area I have nothing against non-smoking rules but there no reason either to prohibit some places where it is allowed to smoke.

“As a cigarette lover, I feel like this is not a good idea—how would I live if smoking is banned everywhere?” Takeshita told reporters.

You would live more healthily Mr. Takeshita......

Let's get this straight...There is decades of incontrovertible evidence that shows smoking extremely dangerous to one's health, but the Japanese government is only now making it a priority because it doesn't want to be embarrassed In front of the international community..

It's stories like this that remind you that Japan in some ways is still living in the past and refuses to change.

As I've said before, I have absolutely no problem if someone wants to get lung cancer and other diseases by smoking. Helps to keep the population down. I just wish they wouldn't drag other people down with them. And I'd wish they'd pay for their own medical expenses.

As a cigarette lover, I feel like this is not a good idea—how would I live if smoking is banned everywhere?

It's very easy. Just step outside the building, puff your smoke and get back in when you're finished. Why do these people have to be so freaking selfish?

Garthgoyle.

How do you do that when smoking outside is banned too? When offices started banning indoors it was a gauntled entering buildings till new regulations came along.

Just slap huge UK style taxes on tobacco, ban tobacco advertising and smoking in all public buildings. Watch as the smoking rates plummet. It's a public health issue and it doesn't take much to resolve the problem.

@gaijin playa - And then there are those who ask before lighting up. "Will it bother you if I smoke?" A world of difference between your attitude and their's, huh? Not every smoker is arrogant enough to think that it is their "right" to kill anyone in the vicinity with their second-hand smoke !

30meter squared and smaller should be mandatory non smoking.

I think "Tries not to Kick the Habit" would be more appropriate.