Osaka bans street smoking ahead of World Expo

The 1,000yen fine is less than the price of a bowl of ramen!

Complete nonsense. Be better off spending money on garbage bins and ash trays instead of those muppets they will send round to harrass people.

Our last city Kobe also banned street smoking except for the smoking places. It wasn't 100% but it was better.

Good for Osaka.

Smokers should only smoke in their homes and yards.

Whether the miniscule fine of ¥1000 ($6.50) is any deterrent is another question.

They banned smoking within a hundred meters of train stations close to a decade ago and it had very little effect,. Hopefully this will be strictly enforced and they will dish out fines

The smoking rate is very low in Japan. I wonder if this ban is to make sure foreign visitors behave well in public spaces, and don’t upset the locals. The smoking rate is a lot higher in western countries compared to Japan.

I was in a cafe today with people smoking near me.

factchecker

Today 06:01 pm JST

Complete nonsense. Be better off spending money on garbage bins and ash trays instead of those muppets they will send round to harrass people

Encourage smoking instead?

Haha does anything make sense to you?

Mimpe Jones 24

Today 07:11 pm JST

I was in a cafe today with people smoking near me.

Yes compliance and enforcement always big problems

JapantimeToday  06:28 pm JST

The smoking rate is very low in Japan. I wonder if this ban is to make sure foreign visitors behave well in public spaces, and don’t upset the locals. The smoking rate is a lot higher in western countries compared to Japan.

Not sure if you are trolling or joking.

The smoking ban is beijng implemented to protect Japan's image to the outside world, rather than to shield locals from foreigners' smoke. Unlike other developed nations, where smoking is banned in all public places, Japan has more lenient policies. This is why the bans were introduced during the Tokyo Olympics.

Japan has one of the highest smoking rates in the developed world and is double that of most developed nations:

Japan 24.5%

United States 14.9%

New Zealand 13.6%

Australia 13.0%

UK 11.9%

Candad 10%

Japan's current smoking rate is around 20% - not 15% - according to a number of sources.

This % sees about 30% men smoking and 10% women for a total of about 20,000,000 smokers in Japan.

The Osaka & Expo's decision to ban smoking is certainly aimed at all people, both locals and visitors alike.

A lit cigarette held in an adult's hand is the same height as a small kid's eyes.

Good move

They banned smoking within a hundred meters of train stations close to a decade ago and it had very little effect,

You must not have been here in the 80s and 90s. I hardly see anyone smoking in public now

The smoking ban is beijng implemented to protect Japan's image to the outside world, rather than to shield locals from foreigners' smoke. Unlike other developed nations, where smoking is banned in all public places, Japan has more lenient policies. This is why the bans were introduced during the Tokyo Olympics.

In July 2018, the National Diet passed an amendment that banned smoking in public facilities for the first time in the nation's history

A lit cigarette held in an adult's hand is the same height as a small kid's eyes.

I think that was the reason smoking was first banned while walking in the street in various parts of Japan.

Joker AF - you beat me to it. And why make the issue one of Japan vs. The Rest Of The World anyway?

The smoking rate is very low in Japan.

Are you having a laugh?

They ban street smoking But continue to increase cost for Expo, it will be more burden to public.

Yeah, LOL, I just saw bunch of ossan smoking as usual while walking around in Kyobashi, with smug face telling everyone "sue me!"

Here's an idea: ENFORCE THE FINES!

I've seen people practically standing ON the smoking fine sign just puffing away and cops walking past.

They could rake in so much money if they'd just enforce the rules that every non-smoker wants them to!

1000 yens? What a joke but better than nothing to improve daily life, its quality and for the planet. Hope it will ne permanent !

As a smoker I would like to say, you are very fine democrats, freedom lovers and have an extraordinary tolerance for one of the most discriminated minority. Congratulations and thanks from heart. rofl

Does it include those muppets that vape too?

Finally, Utsunomiya in Tochigi banned smoking on public streets more than 20 years ago.

will prohibit smoking in eateries with seating areas larger than 30 square meters,

In my experience, the small establishments are where the second-hand smoke is most intense. But the goal of Japan's anti-smoking measures is more about image than health.

The smoking rate is a lot higher in western countries compared to Japan.

Completely untrue.

The price of a packet of cigarettes in the UK is ¥2,400. Increase the price here to that level.

A lit cigarette held in an adult's hand is the same height as a small kid's eyes.

Good move

Hear! Hear!

Well done Osaka!

I don't think most smoking bans are widely enforced with fines in Japan. I would welcome a story with the data on correlation between fines and compliance with the law. Smoking has certainly gone down in many places where it has been banned. I remember when there was plenty of smoking on the platforms when waiting for trains and subways; now there is none. The cities where smoking is not banned in the downtown areas are now noticable because so many major cities have banned smoking. I am surprised that it has not been banned in Osaka until now. It takes a while after things are banned before behaviour catches up. I can still remember the big push to stop taxi drivers to stop uninating in public in front of Umeda station where there was a bit of grass beside the taxi parking lot in about 1990. Now, I don't think there are any taxi drivers or pedistrians relieving themselves in public in front of the station. Hurray for the smoking ban.

Good. Smoking is a filthy habit.

When I went to Osaka recently people were smoking on the streets. I walked out of a building and right into cigarette smoke clouds most of the time.

The fine should be much higher.

Smoking is a ridiculous relic of the past that will hopefully die with the current generation of selfish idiots that still smoke. I certainly hope it is completely gone in my lifetime.

1000 yen fine? What is that, like 5 quid? I don't think Japan understands the concept of fines.

I thought it was banned.