We'll decide on facial age-verification technology after looking into whether it can reliably prevent minors from purchasing cigarettes.

I wonder if the machine can tell if a child is wearing a mask of Prime Minister Fukuda?

I wonder if the machine can tell if a child is wearing a mask of Prime Minister Fukuda?

Or if it can tell PM Fukuda from Homer Simpson.

since the MOF still owns like 65% of Japan Tobacco, my guess is the answer will be NO

Of course they could also save a heck of a lot of that taxpayers money they are supposed to be spending wisely by simply not showering mountains of other people's hard earned cash on dodgy IT consultants and silly IT projects. If they really think there is a problem it would be much easier and more efficient to scrap all cigarette vending machines and limiting tobacco sales to supervised counters at kiosks and convenience stores, many other countries have. Of course a few might still be tempted to supply underage smokers but that could be discouraged by thumping fines.