Koike to push for smoking ban before 2020 Olympics

JT (33.35% government owner) and other big Tobacco wont like this.

Excellent. Really hope it happens and not a moment too soon. What about the rest of the country?

the nanny state. thanx Nanny.

As a non-smoker, I personally favor very much Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike pushing for smoking ban in public places. And as a sake drinker, I'm sure she won't bother to push for dry law. :‑)

Great! Time for Japan to catch up with the rest of the world and ban all smoking in public indoor spaces.

The health of the nation shouldn't be secondary the greed and selfishness of the government's tobacco lobby.

How could Tokyo be so lucky in getting a politician with common sense and an education to back it up.  NIce going.   NOW if only Aomori prefecture could take a cue from Tokyo and up the ante, and not wait to follow would be well for now a dream.

Hey, maybe there is hope for this new government yet.

I think there are cigar smoking bars in Tokyo. What will be about them? They are all smokers and do not bother nonsmokers.

Excellent news!

Finance minister Aso is a cigar lover. He may be one of the opponents. Long time ago when I visited my American friend in Tokyo, he offered a cigar after meal. It was great and I thought Americans had a great tradition of serving guests. He smoked cigarettes, smoked pipe and enjoyed a cigar after meal. He is still kicking. I picked up a bad habit of smoking from an American.

Wow, this is great news. Koike is not in the pocket of Japan Tobacco like the LDP is clearly. Once Tokyo completely bans smoking indoors the rest of the country will follow. Japan is 30 years too late in doing this

but a real leader has finally emerged to move Japan out of the 1980s. She could be the next PM.

the nanny state. thanx Nanny.

Smoker do not have the guts to quit smoking even though they know what a pitiful addictions it is. Yet they whine when for the good of society they are told they can no longer poison others to feed their nicotine slavery. The government, as is often the case, is trying to save smokers from their own stupidity.

JK.  Smoking.  what next?

Yeah, then after the Olympics they will lift the ban. Every recent political and societal change in Japan is focussed on "before the 2020 Olympics". One has to wonder, if Japan had not lied their way into gaining the 2020 Olympics would anything have changed? English education, road signs, transport, smoking bans, hotel and home share laws all "before the 2020 Olympics"

go for it!

@Schopenhauer, truth be told, cigarette smoking related deaths exceeds gun violence deaths in the United States. That being said, I understand your point. There is a large number of US citizens who would like to see stricter gun control laws, but the gun lobby is very, very strong and this makes any change in gun laws very, very difficult. Politics over human lives.

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/resources/data/cigarette-smoking-in-united-states.html

http://www.gunviolencearchive.org/

Nothing new, some Wards already have smoking bans in public place. Should also make it an offense if your neighbours smoke comes into your own house...

Smoker do not have the guts to quit smoking even though they know what a pitiful addictions it is. Yet they whine when for the good of society they are told they can no longer poison others to feed their nicotine slavery. The government, as is often the case, is trying to save smokers from their own stupidity.

Easy to say from behind a computer. And there are plenty of smokers like myself who are responsible and stay out of others air.

They have these great smoke-free zones around Nagoya Station. I have yet to see the police enforce the 2000 yen penalty. They should make smoke-free zone rules/penalties enforceable by citizens. Film them and fine them. cha-ching!

Cancers hospitals will be used for. other diseases some day..

@Dan Lewis, if the said citizen kept all or part of the fine, it would be enthusiastically enforced! No smoking; no problem!

Tokyo risks being one of the unhealthiest cities to host the Olympics in years

By what measurement? On life expectancy, it must surely be the healthiest city ever to host the games.

Should also make it an offense if your neighbours smoke comes into your own house...

If you can detect your neighbour's smoke in your own house, you can be pretty sure your neighbour's germs are also present. You should perhaps be thankful for the warning.

Smoker do not have the guts to quit smoking

Perhaps. Quitting has the incentive for better physical health. But the there is also the fear that by becoming a non-smoker, there is the associated risk of limited thinking capacity. A difficult one.

Japanese businesses and often individuals as well, have just as much a sense of entitlement and their "rights" when it comes to issues like prohibiting smoking.

Should also make it an offense if your neighbours smoke comes into your own house...

Just for discussion sake alone, how are you intending to have this enforced, particularly here in Japan, where the police often times do their best to NOT enforce already existing laws, and you want to increase their responsibilities? *

Koike is a cunning fox. She may be snickering if she reads comments written here.

A good start. Hopefully people will respect this rule and the appropriate fines will actually be enforced unlike now.

Just get it underway, its undeniably coming so just get on with it, only nearly 20 or so years late.

Figure out whatever odd rules they will make so small owner/operator 10 people places can continue as they are, "to protect heritage" or whatever excuse there will be and just get on with it... its time.

I know it must be hard for a current smoker to see, but I can't think of another action that so clearly interferes with other people in demonstrable ways, even if we are just talking about the smell and cleaning required let alone the potential health issues, that is publicly allowed and is so, selfishly in my opinion, strongly opposed to change.

Interestingly I had a relative visit Japan recently and they were young enough they have never been exposed to smoke in restaurants or bars their entire life, they just couldn't understand how this is even a thing.

I think the real driving force for this should be to provide healthier and safer workplaces for employees, and that just makes it easier because employees should have decent conditions to work in, no matter the pay or level of job.

MMWKDW.   Indeed.  Let's hound everyone on issues like "smoke coming into your house"  That way we can avoid dealing with serious issues in society.

After Olympic, Tokyo will create regulations that will change building construction codes for new business permission etch to. protect none smokers.

GOOD! Please don't bow down to the pressure of Japan tobacco and the old boys in government, as the federal govt has.

Probably, many businesses that caters to children will keep 'none smoking' status.  When restaurants start to experience they have more business with money spending tourists, 'smoker welcome' signs might be gone.  But if a business needs to serve smokers, install ceiling vents for your air conditioner.  If you are smoker, buy perfume to spray to yourself to stop being stinky.

Hurrah!