Japan Tobacco, other companies still subverting anti-smoking moves: WHO

"in a fresh call to counter corporate lobbying and litigation."

Yep good luck with that, considering who own Japan tobacco.

The best thing to come of this push so far is, they have finally removed that smoking area next to the Hachiko statue in Shibuya. However, I was there a fortnight ago and there were still pathetic smokers hiding hiding behind the subway entrance puffing away knowing full well there are no consequences for their illegal actions.

I fully support a public smoking ban, but I also think there should be areas for public smoking. However, it also needs to be strictly enforced and severe penalties for those who abuse the public smoking ban.

What we have seen over time is that the industry tends to interfere in the policy-making process. So there are intimidating practices, they threaten, they use myths about the contribution to the economy," Dr. Vinayak Prasad,

Sorry Dr. Prasad you have it wrong, JT is owned 33.3% by the government and the "policy-makers"... there is a direct line from a tobacco company to the government.... Should the government should sell it's stake in JT you would see a ton of change.

lts not who owns JT, but who JT owns. Aso has publicly said there is no link between smoking and cancer! These policy makers deserve bit parts in a pantomime, not policy making. Used a microscope, still could not find a shred of integrity in the cabinet.

The tobacco industry continues to subvert government attempts to prevent tobacco-related deaths

How is that even possible? The 2 are 2 cheeks of the same backside.

The health ministry is preparing legislation to limit secondhand smoking, but faces strong opposition from smoking lawmakers and the one-third state-owned tobacco industry.

See?

in a fresh call to counter corporate lobbying and litigation.

Wait did i just see an entire squadron of pigs fly over Tokyo Bay? Good luck with that!

The best thing to come of this push so far is, they have finally removed that smoking area next to the Hachiko statue in Shibuya.

They didn't remove it, they just moved it across the street (in the direction of 109)

...there were still pathetic smokers hiding hiding behind the subway entrance puffing away knowing full well there are no consequences for their illegal actions.

The fine is only 2000yen and hardly ever enforced, so it's not that surprising eh?

@loame - They didn't remove it, they just moved it across the street

I think you should check the meaning of 'remove' in the dictionary.

@laome - The fine is only 2000yen and hardly ever enforced

The ¥2,000 fine would be sufficient if it were enforced. When I was there a fortnight ago there were police patrolling the crossing and they just walked straight passed the smokers and ignored them.

The rule is enforced by the ward office not the police as it is a ward rule.

My city never introduced a fine. But the introduced a city-wide ban on throwing butts away.

Forgot, they also removed all Manner points, no smoking around stations, bus stops, government properties, shopping arcades/streets.

"Countries with partly state-owned tobacco companies, such as Japan which has a stake in Japan Tobacco Inc, should "firewall" their health policy-setting from their commercial interests, the United Nations agency said."

Yeah, good luck with that! It'd be easier to tell Trump to give up his personal business interests and have him stick to his promise to do so than getting the Japanese government to stop seeking the easiest money they can get. We're talking about a nation that can't even put a smoking ban in place for the Olympics, despite promising to the world they would, pussy-foot on raising tobacco taxes (it's gone up a WHOPPING 230 yen total in almost 20 years, while in most G8 nations it's far more than 1000 yen/pack), and they still even have circa '50s US posters where women or men smoke, exhale, and four-leaf clovers or peaches come out of the refreshed, beautiful looking person. And lest we forget they shot down the idea of putting cancer images or what have you on packaging becuase it might "Make smokers uncomfortable as the images are not nice to look at".

@pacint - The rule is enforced by the ward office not the police as it is a ward rule.

Yes, I'm fully aware of that, but the police should not ignore it. They should at least tell the butt-heads to butt-out! The police are in charge of public safety, are they not? This is a public safety issue.

there has been decades long studies on the effects of smoking in the UK/US, while lung cancer is an increased risk, smokers have 3 times higher chance of dyeing from heart attacks , strokes and chest diseases like bronchitis and emphysema. The average life span of a smoker in the US is 14yrs less than a non smoker. If this isnt enough to make you want to quit then nothing will. statistics show over half of smokers will die from their habit but only about 20% believe they will die prematurely from smoking, seems smoking makes you optimistic or blind.

The fine is only 2000yen and hardly ever enforced, so it's not that surprising eh?

Wasn't in the news recently that after 10 years of implementation, a Kansai city had not punished even one offender for violating it's anti-smoking law?

The law is never enforced. At the most, a policeman or patrol officer will tell someone to put out a cigarette, but they never cite anyone.

There's no will to change things because all the dirty old men in charge of the country all smoke themselves. They're all still wishing for a return of the "good old days" when they smoked in the office and in meetings.

My city never introduced a fine. But the introduced a city-wide ban on throwing butts away.

@pacint - how did that end up working? I'm sick of those rude, ignorant smokers who throw their butts out wherever they are. Kudos to the ones who bring those portable ashtray pouches with them, or smoke only in designated areas with butt cans/ash trays.

there has been decades long studies on the effects of smoking in the UK/US, while lung cancer is an increased risk, smokers have 3 times higher chance of dyeing from heart attacks , strokes and chest diseases like bronchitis and emphysema. The average life span of a smoker in the US is 14yrs less than a non smoker. If this isnt enough to make you want to quit then nothing will. statistics show over half of smokers will die from their habit but only about 20% believe they will die prematurely from smoking, seems smoking makes you optimistic or blind.

I do not doubt that information or wish to be an any kind of apologist for the (government owned!!) tobacco industry, but it should be remembered that smoking does not cause cancer and heart disease with the same rates in Japan. The longevity of Japanese male smokers is not very well understood, but is a well-known medical paradox and stands as an example of the many things we are yet to comprehend about human health.

I am all for anti-smoking measures in Japan, but I don't think citing figures about health effects in other countries is going to convince anyone in Japan to crack down on smoking. You need to use data for Japan.

@loame - They didn't remove it, they just moved it across the street

I think you should check the meaning of 'remove' in the dictionary.

Thanks, I did as suggested.

The ¥2,000 fine would be sufficient if it were enforced. When I was there a fortnight ago there were police patrolling the crossing and they just walked straight passed the smokers and ignored them.

Yeah, hopefully the police will begin to enforce this and will lead to the first push to change this situation.

5th biggest company and over 40% of adults smoke.