Passive smoking down

The proportion of people affected by passive smoking at workplaces in Japan fell below 30 percent for the first time last year, reports The Japan Times, citing a new survey.

The figure declined 8.4 percentage points from the previous year to 28.9 percent, according to the November 2018 survey, in which valid responses were received from about 9,000 workers and roughly 7,700 offices.

The share of businesses taking measures to tackle passive smoking rose 3.1 points to a record high of 88.5 percent. Most firms have banned indoor smoking.

A revised health promotion law passed last year bans indoor smoking in spaces used by many people, such as company offices and restaurants.
It is scheduled to take effect in April 2020.