Tokyo gov't seeks stricter smoking ban than national gov't

Good idea, we will see how many of Toko assembly members are in JT and restaurant hands.

And dont't forget to demolish that smoking Gomorrah of Golden Gai

Just do it, no more grey rubbish a blanket national ban. Japan could also look less backward to the rest of the world which cant hurt considering the olympics are round the corner.

Lets hope stricter conditions really do come through.

Walking with my wife recently we saw a local, reasonably sized restaurant that had been "reformed" and looked much nicer than before, on the first walk past it seemed it was non-smoking, perhaps getting ready for the new restrictions, great we thought, we will have to support that business, sadly later that evening walked past again, and there like so many other examples is one old guy puffing away in a place filled with kids and families.. so disappointing.

Its just a matter of time, so why not get on board with the rest of the developed world on this issue, as much as I don't enjoy China's larger cities even they have banned smoking in most restaurants.

Hahaha... it'll be like the last three: "We've set up a ban on smoking (backpat, backpat)... ahem... that is optional and not applicable to restaurants and bars or streets, offices, outside schools, parks, etc.".

Good luck to her, if Tokyo succeeds at this it might embarrass the central government to do something actually meaningful next time.

Hopefully it never passes, stop telling people what to do

I want a cig with my drink in a bar, you dont like it ? then go look for another bar, or better yet just stay home.

Banning things are never the answer, governments should be liberalizing instead of finding new things to be upset about and banning. Stop going backwards

dcog - actually a smoking ban is moving forward.

It's called progress.

Watched this happen in my hometown (San Francisco, CA.) Bars stayed opened and restaurants as well. Loved it and can't stand all the cancer exposure in Japan.

Funny though, now a lot of people in San Francisco use e-cigs and smokes marijuana. LOL, People seem to like thier addictions.

Hopefully it passes, stop letting people kill me with their smoke.

I want a bar with no smoke, you don’t like it? Then go look for a sewer or better yet, just stay home.

I want a cig with my drink in a bar, you dont like it ? then go look for another bar, or better yet just stay home. no you can stay home or find a bar that allows smoking , smokers are a minority and a minorities right to smoke doesn't superseded the majority of non smokers rights to clean air environment without the dangers of sickness related to passive smoking. Or better still move to a non democratic country that doesn't have smoking bans.

smokers are a minority and a minorities right to smoke doesn't superseded the majority of non smokers rights to clean air environment without the dangers of sickness related to passive smoking.

In Japan it does.

Smoking bans in other country hasn't ruined business. It has increased certain health outcomes though.

Alex Einz: "I want a cig with my drink in a bar, you dont like it ? then go look for another bar, or better yet just stay home."

Fortunately, the civilized world doesn't share your contempt for not only your own health, but others. YOu are literally killing your family, friends, and others you sit around and selfishly smoke your "cigs". It should be completely banned, and people who flout the ban fined, then jailed if they continue to do so.

@Alex EinzToday 09:48 am JST

Is that based on a belief (correct or not) that your second hand smoke is harmless? Or are you saying that you are willingly indifferent to the harm you cause to other people's health in your pursuit of a cigarette?

Just want to clarify whether this is a "fact" issue or "law" issue.

and yet the same people advocating legalization of marijuana and other drugs are so vociferously anti-tobacco.

I advocate the legalization of all drugs, and I'm not anti-tobacco.

In Japan it does. well it wont forever, democratic process and morality will eventually drag Japan into the 21st century. A proper democratic country will alway put the rights of the many before the rights of the few especially if one group rights put the other groups lives at risk.

would ban smoking at all bars and restaurants with employees, regardless of sizes, thereby applying to 84 percent of all such facilities in the capital.

If they ban smoking at all bars and restaurants, wouldn't that mean 100%? I guess the ones operated by the owner without employees would be exempt, which seems pretty stupid to me. However, I sincerely doubt this will go through. The bar association are gonna kick up a huge stink about this.

Simple solution:

Smoking Bars/Restaurants for smokers

and

non smoking Bars/Restaurants for non smokers

= freedom of choice

Many people seem to have an odd idea about democracy as well

democracy is not mob rule of the majority

but rather about protection of minorities rights

that applies to smokers and non smokers alike

Society is the sum of all people, imposing your idea of society on others

is Totalitarianism

it has worked quite well in countries like NZ and Australia. people have a right to smoke if they don't harm anyone. smoking rooms are the answer. if i go to a restaurant for dinner, i have get my suit dry-cleaned the next day at my expense.

Maybe it will spread to Kanagawa finally.

An actual ban might spark a new business for smokers - a smokehouse. Here, smokers could come and light up inside (with or without ventilation) without hurting their families or fellow citizens. The smokehouses could even offer services, such as smoke-be-gone for clothing and special breathmints.

Wish I could have my Neighbor stopped from smoking the most foulest of smelling cigarettes in their garden.

I assume none of you drive cars.

Or is it a case of your pollution is ok and someone else's pollution should be outlawed?

same thing could be said for the consumption of meat.

The smokers coming to the Olympics the year after next will love being able to burn, inhale, blow out the emissions of smoldering tobacco in every other restaurant or bar in this country. The non smokers will see this country as backward in the lack of legislation protecting people's health and classify this country as 'typically Asian'. Make up your mind Japan about the image you wish to project.

The anti smoking fanatics are at it again! As a lifelong non smoker I worked and socialized with smokers for all of my working life without any ill effects--my lungs are in perfect condition. A bar,pub or club that doesn't have a haze of tobacco smoke is lacking in character!

alex:

I want a cig with my drink in a bar, you dont like it ? then go look for another bar, or better yet just stay home.

seadog:

As a lifelong non smoker I worked and socialized with smokers for all of my working life without any ill effects--my lungs are in perfect condition

Yeah, for the moment. You wanna keep smoking? When you get lung cancer or any other medical condition brought on willingly by your dirty habits, please pay for medical treatment using your own money and do not use national health insurance. The rest of us do not want to foot the bill when even kids know smoking more than likely will lead to health complications.

In addition to the ban on eateries, the planned ordinance prohibits smoking within the premises of schools, kindergartens and day care centres

So let me get this straight. You can still smoke in kindergartens and day care centres? Why not just blow the smoke over the kids' faces?

genkipilot:

Or is it a case of your pollution is ok and someone else's pollution should be outlawed?

I have never in my life experienced eating in a restaurant where a card drove in and the driver left the engine running.

Is it ok for me to break wind non-stop next to a smoker in a resturant?

Is it ok for me to break wind non-stop next to a smoker in a resturant?

Funny but not really humanly possible. How about those selfish people who douse themselves in highly toxic cologne or perfume? Can we outlaw that as well please?