Japan considers smoking ban

Japan’s health ministry has proposed a total ban on smoking at public facilities in the run-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, reports The Japan News.

According to the proposal, smoking would be prohibited in public buildings used by a number of people, including those of central and local government agencies, schools, and social welfare and sports facilities.

In particular, smoking should be banned at all premises of medical institutions, and elementary, junior high and high schools, to prevent damage to the health of patients and minors.

For restaurants and hotel lobbies, operators would be required to fully ban smoking or separate smoking and nonsmoking areas. Smoking would be totally prohibited on buses and taxis, while a total ban or the separation of smoking and nonsmoking areas should be applied to trains and ships.

The International Olympic Committee and the World Health Organization have agreed to promote tobacco-free Olympic and Paralympic Games.

All host countries of recent Olympics and Paralympics put into place smoking restrictions with penalties, but Japan’s measures against secondhand smoke are less stringent.

“The ideal way is to ban smoking at all areas inside buildings, a measure taken by Britain, but we believe that it is realistic to allow smoking areas to be set up at some facilities, as in South Korea,” a health ministry official said.