Even if a smoking room is set up, smoke can leak when people open and close the door. I think the central government has to work on achieving a complete smoking ban.

Simply stated to keep a total smoking ban in the public office buildings and commercial facilities effective, there need be fines for non-compliance. The government should ultimately not have to enforce the law, but the responsibility of reminding the employees and those visiting that it is against the law to smoke in their establishment, and then asking them to stop or leave, should be theirs. If they refuse, then it should move to the local law enforcement's bailiwick.

Recent studies show that second hand smoke causes miscarriages. So selfish suicidal smokers are killing off Japanese youth in order to feed their drug habit. It is criminal. Smokers should never smoke around others. Period. No streets, no parks, no beaches, nowhere unless they are isolated from others. Like at the KIX airport smoking cages. Then they can all smoke together to kill themselves off like hogs at a slaughterhouse.

It’s time Japan introduces a complete smoking ban as many other countries have done since 2004.

Those smoking rooms are disgusting. Not only are they often placed in the same area as vending machines, stinking up the immediate area around them and making you want to run in and out of the vending machine area as quickly as possible, but the people who use them stink to high heaven. I hate working with people who go into those stupid smoking rooms because they just reek. It'd be far better if they went out by a back door and smoked outside so the smell would dissipate a bit.

I'm not a smoker, but I find Japan has a good balance of smoking and non-smoking. I like it that many outdoor areas have become non-smoking with designated smoking areas. And these days most restaurants seem to have separated the smoking and non-smoking areas much better than they used to, though many still fail and this is one area that could be improved upon.

smoke doesn't have to leak if the room was set up properly to have sufficient negative air pressure.

There are myriad reasons for not setting up a smoking room/area in a company or building. If I was a company offering building insurance, I'd love to be certain that there is zero smoking allowed in the building we were offering coverage - less fire risk. Additionally, as for company management, I'd be thinking it would reduce illness and increase productivity if less people smoked. Whenever I see them I just can't help thinking how absolutely PATHETIC the addicts look standing around getting their fix.

@Meguroman - Most of the company management are probably smokers themselves so they're unlikely to think the way you do.

Why are the people here so dirty? Even China, Korea and Philippines are cleaner now in restaurants, offices and bars. Japan seems stuck in the '50s.

Nice to read other views by sane nonsmokers! Ultimately, there must be a law that all smoking indoors is 100% forbidden. No exceptions. Then, it would be very nice to ban smoking on streets. In other words, no smoking anywhere. No excuses. People here are tuned into obeying the law, so if it was the law, we'd all be free of those selfish smokers.

Until then, I hope people will start Facebook pages about wherever they live highlighting 100% nonsmoking eateries and izakaya they know. I have started mine at "Nonsmoking Ryogoku". It's nice because I keep finding new places, and I find this very encouraging.

Even China, Korea and Philippines are cleaner now in restaurants, offices and bars. Japan seems stuck in the '50s

I spend a fair bit of time in China, and I can say without doubt that the above statement is incorrect in regards to China.

I've traveled and worked in about 20 countries, including lots of developed countries struggling with poverty. Japan is the only place where I need to launder my clothes every time after dinner and drinks, due to the stink.