Photo: PAKUTASO
lifestyle

Japanese organization wants stricter regulations against people smoking on their own balconies

29 Comments
By Casey Baseel, SoraNews24

Japan is often referred to as a smoker’s paradise due to its lax restrictions on the sale and use of tobacco products, particularly in comparison to many western nations. Attitudes are slowly starting to change, though, as fewer members of younger generations are taking up the habit, which in turn is leading to discussions on placing new limits on when and where Japanese smokers can light up.

In late spring of this year, the Neighborhood Second-Hand Smoke Victims Societywas formed. Based in Yokohama, the organization seeks to protect people from the dangers and discomfort of passive smoke in and around their homes, and recently has taken aim at the demographic referred to as “firefly” smokers in Japan. Firefly smokers get their name from their custom of going out onto their apartment or condominium balconies to smoke, where the tips of their cigarettes are said to resemble the luminescent insects.

The issue, though, is that unless firefly smokers live on the top floor of their buildings, their smoke naturally rises towards the tenants who live directly above them. If those upstairs neighbors happen to be on their balconies or have their windows open, they end up breathing the second-hand smoke. Even if they’re inside with the windows shut tight, balconies in Japan are customarily used as a place to dry laundry, meaning that their clothes end up smelling of smoke because of their neighbors puffing away below.

In the past, this was largely a situation for which the only recourse was to shrug one’s shoulders and say “It can’t be helped.” With smoking rates dropping and greater awareness of the health risks associated with second-hand smoke, however, people who’re unhappy about a firefly smoker living below them have become more vocal.

The issue is complicated by the equally true facts that the firefly smokers are smoking on their own property and that their smoke is encroaching on someone else’s property. In light of this, the Neighborhood Second-Hand Smoke Victims Society acknowledges that making firefly smoking completely illegal would be a difficult change to enact. However, it is seeking national or local requirements that, in the case of a complaint about a firefly smoker, landlords and building managers be obligated to take some action to rectify the situation.

Such legal changes have yet to be won, but with Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare mulling tougher smoking regulations ahead of the 2020 Olympics, Japan’s firefly smokers may soon find themselves without the freedom to smoke on their balconies whenever they want.

Sources: Yahoo! News Japan/Mainichi Shimbun via Hachima Kiko

Read more stories from SoraNews24.

-- Japanese government mulling indoor smoking ban to be introduced as early as next year

-- Japanese politician pushing to double price of cigarettes in Japan by start of 2020 Olympics

-- Tokyo Governor’s party may restrict smoking from private homes and cars with children inside

© SoraNews24

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

29 Comments
Login to comment

As much as I dislike smoking, and I do, this is a tough one.

( Strictly speaking, as I understand it, the balcony in most apartment complexes in Japan is not actually the property of the apartment owner but "shared" or common space )

Once in a while quick puff is one thing, a chain smoking person would be another, and would make thinks quite unpleasant.

Though as Im not allowed to have a BBQ on my balcony, I assume for smell and safety reasons I think its potentially fair for smoking to fall into the same category of nuisance and safety concerns.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

And this is why I live in a house .....

2 ( +5 / -3 )

I lived above an old couple who smoked like chimneys. Horrible experience. The town I live in now is relatively clean except for the butts left by smokers everywhere. Amazing this dirty habit is still so popular.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

I don't like smoking, and am generally against laws that require bars and restaurants to be non-smoking. This one is easier though.

While I can always choose to avoid a smoke-filled restaurant, it's not so easy to change the place I live. Having lived above a balcony chain smoker, I can say it's quite disgusting and a daily nuisance. People who share buildings have to cooperate more, which is why many "mansions" have rules about behavior, noise and hanging laundry outside. Ideally, this would be a rule made by the building residents themselves, but I don't see that happening soon.

So I have some sympathy for this law. People who complain about the right to do what they want on their own property are way off base. A building is shared property, by definition. Not private. Even in a private residence, I can't play the drums naked on my front lawn at 2am and expect not to get a police visit. So there are always limits, unless your house is in the middle of nowhere.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

This is easy. Make the smokers stop smoking on their balconies with a law that levies a hefty fine. We have had this problem. We did not say it can't be help. We told the guy to stop it. When he continued, we spoke to the management of our building. Presto! The management sent out a flier to all tenants telling them to not smoke on their balconies and we got no more tobacco smoke pollution our dominion.

I am waiting to see condos and apartment buildings that explicitly forbid smoking.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Hollywood movies have shown a lot of smoking scenes, in the mood of good life to make the world addicted and now this strictness from this Hollywood country to the world a very quick off limits to affect the smokers. I just come back from East Coast of US and Canada and I find nowhere inside public houses or under the roof people smoking. I smoke (not chain smoker) and I found myself one of the insane guy in the world of so crazily changing time!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Imo this falls into the 'nuisance neighbours' category alongside noise, bad smells, garbage etc. When/if smoking on balcony affects the neighbours, it has to be banned, plain and simple.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

aaahhh brings back memories of apartment life.....most ok, bits rather annoying. Don't miss it! Never had it bad with a nearby smoker but heard many other complain about.

If you are a smoker I would say smoke inside, if you want to step outside, take a few more steps away from your building etc & have at it

Here is hoping Japan will get the smoking ban done right(unlikely it seems) for 2020! Hey a guy can wish.....

2 ( +5 / -3 )

How to say petty in Japanese?

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

What if they started using a sploof?

Or something sophisticated that would filter blown smoke that is easy to carry around with the smoker because to outlaw what you can do on your balcony is pretty hard to control and very petty!

I have a neighbor that burns his trash with black smoke from his plastic bottles billowing up, what can I do as thats obviously against the law but he has been doing for 16 years! hahahahahaha My solution even though I hate to do it, is to just shut my window as I know he won't stop!

4 ( +5 / -1 )

more venting from bleeding-heart anti-smoking campaigners! im a smoker, and i can smoke in public places if I want, and especially in my own home! good luck telling me not to!

-8 ( +4 / -12 )

 i can smoke in public places if I want, and especially in my own home! good luck telling me not to!

And did you stamp your little smokey foot while you were writing that little smokey tantrum?

6 ( +12 / -6 )

I have a neighbor that burns his trash with black smoke from his plastic bottles billowing up, what can I do as thats obviously against the law but he has been doing for 16 years!

I live fairly rural so can relate to the above, I don't care about burning a few weeds and such, hell I have a woodstove & a small fire pit, BUT I don't burn plastic & crap.

You have to get pretty isolated if you want to escape over 90% of the crap that goes on here LOL, good luck!

Excuse me while I plug in my electric guitar!!! :)

2 ( +2 / -0 )

 i can smoke in public places if I want, and especially in my own home! good luck telling me not to!

Because you'll huff and you'll puff?

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Our previous downstairs neighbours smoked on the balcony almost continuously. The smell would come into our flat and make the laundry stink. We found out the reason they spent almost all their time at home on the balcony was due to the landlord not allowing smoking on the property and the idiots thought that smoking on the balcony didn't count.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Because you'll huff and you'll puff?

No, because I can smoke in any public place that doesn't have a no smoking sign, including restaurants, bars, cafes, on the street anywhere! if the people in the building dont like the smoking than they can simply move house

-8 ( +3 / -11 )

If the leases say no smoking in apartment, consider the balcony part of it. No smoking. Don't like it, don't move there. If building doesn't care if you smoke in the apartment, then smoking on the balcony is part of your apartment, other people can deal with it.

Otherwise, ban cigarettes from Japan. Make them illegal like the long list of narcotics which are banned.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

My neighbor cooks really stinky foods, I'd like to ban that. My other neighbor has some foot Oder problem leaves his shoes outside like to ban that too. Sometimes a truck with big speakers parks under me, ban that too please. Oh the government burn waist from Fukashima in my area ban that too. Sometimes a cat pees near my door please ban that. Children make so much noise at the local park plant cactus. Think I might live in a bubble it would be easier for me.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

I can smoke in any public place that doesn't have a no smoking sign, including restaurants, bars, cafes, on the street anywhere!

And luckily for you more and more public spaces in Japan are becoming 'barrier-free', so when you develop emphesema you will be able to roll your oxygen tank into and out of those public spaces, without having to struggle up and down stairs. And the kokumin kenko hoken will pay most of the cost of treating the lung cancer/heart disease your smoking-everywhere habit will gift you with.

If you do puff, you'll end up gasping. And you'll be able to gasp in any pubic space. Lucky you.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

I support the governments efforts to reduce freedom of choice, not just mine but other people's too. Don't smoke inside, don't smoke outside...don't cook stinky foods too in or outside, don't spit or vomit on the street. We need regulations for every situation, ie only criminals or sports people should have tattoos. People with any criminal history in their family sould have a facial mark....hang on I'm an Aussie. Dough

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

f you do puff, you'll end up gasping. And you'll be able to gasp in any pubic space. Lucky you.

exactly, so its not right to persecute those who choose to smoke in places that allow smoking. Gasping is fine in public spaces so too should smoking be (unless specifically banned)

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

There are those who seem to enjoy their self appointed freedom to be a nuisance, moreover insisting on their right to do so.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

so too should smoking be (unless specifically banned)

Hence the growing movement to get it specifically banned.

Gasping is fine

Gasp away. Both my parents and my brother puffed and then gasped all over the place until they went to the big public space in the sky, not a one of them old enough to collect their old-age pension.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Well Cleo sorry for your losses but ever think it might have more to do with a thing called DNA. My parents smoked too, mum still puffing away at 78 dad dead 59 leckumia unrelated to tobacco, friends all smoke 1 dead cancer tumour on the spine again unrelated to tobacco. I'm not disagreeing with you smoking is repulsive but my/ our generation were pumped full of advertising that smoking is cool. Now thankfully the next generation are not as is seen in the young not seeing it as cool. But too late for me and my friends. Addiction harder to shake than smack give us a break, really? Outside now off limits. Please just let us die out and celebrate in your own righteous opinion.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

ever think it might have more to do with a thing called DNA

Partly maybe, not totally. I and my other brother cannot stand the stinking weed, have never smoked (apart from the clouds of second-hand stuff we got as kids) and neither of us is gasping.

my/ our generation were pumped full of advertising that smoking is cool

You must be way older than me, then; my parents (they would be in their 90s if they were still alive) grew up being told cigs were cool, by the time they realise they were not it was too late, they were addicted. My generation never got the message that smoking was cool. Just smelly and dirty and off-putting and expensive.

Addiction harder to shake than smack

I feel genuinely sorry for those of you with an addiction, I know how hard it is. It's the moronic 'I can if I want, just try and stop me, I can spew smoke anywhere i want, if you don't like it go away' folks that get my goat.

just let us die out and celebrate in your own righteous opinion.

Celebrate cos you killed yourself? Righteous? You got me wrong, cricky.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I wish there is a world wide law on this matter.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Ah, that this "little tube of delight" should cause such angst.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

As a smoker, I am careful not to light up where it may cause offence and I certainly don't smoke wherever the heck I like.

That said; on my own doorstep or in a bar is fair game.

It's the moronic 'I can if I want, just try and stop me, I can spew smoke anywhere i want, if you don't like it go away' folks that get my goat.

No, I wouldn't be that ignorant! It's not a way to endear oneself to others and shows blatant disregard and disrespect. Like that chap who used to board women only carriages and was quite proud of it.

One of these days, I'll knock it on the head.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites