Lower house passes antismoking bill

watered down compared to other countries who have moved forward on this issue. Restaurants benefited from smoking bans everywhere else but Japan remains afraid of change

I don’t smoke. I wouldn’t mind a total smoking ban in public places.

hahaha ha hahaha ha...doesn't mean the smokers will stop smoking at the entrances....

Wishy washy legislation that does not tackle the problem.

And still Japan has one of the longest life expectancies in the world........

Clickbait title.

Should be Lower house passes almostnotsmokingbutstillsmokinginsomeplacesbecauseofgreedypoliticiansthatcaremoreaboutmoneythansomeoneshealth bill

Seriously though, we need cleaner air.

doesn't mean the smokers will stop smoking at the entrances....

Much more cleaner air....

Do any of you reading this live in a mansion that is 100 meters plus?

Do any of you know of a local Izakaya or Akachochin 100 meters plus?

I do not think so.

SO sad, so unhealthy.

Another law which looks good on paper, but which is nonexistent in practice. The current ban on smoking in public is seldom enforced, and offenders are never fined, Kansai enacted a similar ban, and after 10 years of “enforcement” it was found that not a single person had ever been cited and fined for violating the law.

But as the Japanese government still has a large stake in Japan Tobacco (the government owns more than one-third of the company), none of this should be surprising.

Cowards. Japan had a real chance here, but kow-towed to its vested interests yet again. And there is no way in hell they will enforce anything anyway.

Do any of you reading this live in a mansion that is 100 meters plus?

Do any of you know of a local Izakaya or Akachochin 100 meters plus?

The article talks about eateries with seating AREAS of up to 100 square meters.. it's not talking about width or distance.

A grass roots movement is needed by the 72% non-smokers in this country (especially those bringing children to restaurants). Give restaurants without a true non-smoking section a miss and tell them why. Take a stand!

Here's a crazy idea: How about allowing private business owners decide themselves what to do with the property and businesses they own? And then Japanese public can either choose to frequent that establishment, or stay away? Let the free market decide who wins and loses.

You are correct. Crazy idea.

Many progressive laws, habits and health improvements have come from legislation and changes in the law. Typically part of the population bleats about "free market" and how that should be best.

Free market is not always the best solution and has been witnessed many times in the past.

Freedom. Choice.

Freedom has nothing to do with it if your actions endanger others, which smoking clearly does. You're free to choose going vegetarian, free to choose coffee over tea, free to peacefully protest against what you think is wrong, but blowing carcinogenic smoke over other people is not your right.

(queue the leftist mob to downvote)

One leftist upvoted you.

if your actions endanger others, which smoking clearly does

But it doesn't clearly do that. It clearly endangers the smoker; it's effect on others is debatable. The smoke from a grilling mackerel or the smoke from someone's cigarette. Which has more carcinogens?

But it doesn't clearly do that. It clearly endangers the smoker; it's effect on others is debatable. The smoke from a grilling mackerel or the smoke from someone's cigarette. Which has more carcinogens?

Umm, the debate on 2nd hand smoking and negative implications on others is proven. There's no debate about it.

As for smoking vs grilling a mackerel, that's quite a specious argument. I don't have people smoking mackerels all around me when I try to enjoy a drink in a bar or a meal in a restaurant.

Come on Japan step into the 90s

What do the Olympics have to do with this (a domestic public health issue)?

"Under the bill, smoking is prohibited at eateries, offices and hotels in principle.... "

What does "in principle" mean in this case?

People are allowed to kill themselves by smoking, but they shouldn't subject others to the same thing in public places. I totally support smokers' rights to buy cigarettes.

What is the sound of one hand clapping?

"... not required to set up separate smoking areas if they display a sigh..." How should they do that, have an employee walk around making sad noises?

Freedom. Choice.

Freedom for smokers to give others cancer? Is that the freedom you are trying to promote. Smokers have no right to kill others. Or prevent others from going where

they wish and breathing clean air.

Hey, here is another crazy idea, show your freedom and choice by dropping your addiction and quit. Yeah, right. As if that is going to happen. No, will end only when lung cancer hits.

Many women do not smoke but they are as vulnerable as men to cancer.

But 35% more men die of cancer than women according to many reports.

Umm, the debate on 2nd hand smoking and negative implications on others is proven. There's no debate about it.

Can't agree entirely:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielfisher/2013/12/12/study-finds-no-link-between-secondhand-smoke-and-cancer/amp

So long as it doesn't give you cancer, anything goes?

I consider myself a reasonably healthy person most of the time, but half an hour in the presence of a smoker kicks off my asthma (normally not a concern at all) and requires a couple of days off work while I wheeze and struggle to breathe.

But I haven't got life-threatening cancer, so there's no problem?

our streets are clogged with thousands of cars each pushing out enough pollutants to kill lots of people.

Not in the quiet country town I choose to live in. The only vehicles that venture down our street are the occasional delivery van, and the cars of residents.

Bjohnson23:

In the US, I see smokers gathered at entrances of buildings all the time, despite 200-500ft ban around front and all inside. Enforcement is key. I told staff and a cop one time and they didn't really do anything.

Many women do not smoke but they are as vulnerable as men to cancer.

Japan again proving how backward it is.

Not in the quiet country town I choose to live in. The only vehicles that venture down our street are the occasional delivery van, and the cars of residents.

Fair enough, Cleo - you are right in this one. Smoking definitely triggers asthma in some and it is in no way fair that your right of access to public places should be so restricted by smokers.

The rise in asthma is an interesting one. It does seem to have risen more in line with car ownership than industrialisation and smoking. Despite the air beyond cleaner in the countryside, get on a boat off of honshu and see the brown smog that sits over it - even over rural prefectures.

People worrying about smokers at the entrances while living in metropolies full of air pollution hahaha. Relax you don' t get ill because one smoking at the entrance, second hand smoke could be harmful only after decades of intensive exposure. It' s not an opinion it' s science.

Here's a crazy idea: How about allowing private business owners decide themselves what to do with the property and businesses they own? And then Japanese public can either choose to frequent that establishment, or stay away? Let the free market decide who wins and loses.

Freedom. Choice.

(queue the leftist mob to downvote)

Umm, the debate on 2nd hand smoking and negative implications on others is proven. There's no debate about it.

Can't agree entirely:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielfisher/2013/12/12/study-finds-no-link-between-secondhand-smoke-and-cancer/amp/

Car fumes are absolutely lethal (lock yourself in a small garage with the engine running if you don't believe me), yet our streets are clogged with thousands of cars each pushing out enough pollutants to kill lots of people.