Japanese lawmakers are scheduled to submit a bill in the ongoing Parliamentary session that would amend the Health Promotion Law to completely ban smoking inside schools, hospitals and government offices. Indoor smoking would be banned "in principle" in restaurants and bars that are newly opened, and existing facilities with dining and drinking areas of over 100 square meters. People found violating the rule will be fined up to 300,000 yen (US$ 2,800), and facility managers who fail to take proper measures (such as removing ashtrays) face a penalty of up to 500,000 yen (US$ 4,700). It is the first time the country is introducing antismoking measures that carry penalties.
Hospitals, schools and government offices can set up outdoor smoking areas in designated areas, while restaurants can establish special rooms for exclusive use by smokers where no food or drink will be served. The bill, which comes ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, allows smoking at existing restaurants and bars with customer areas of up to 100 square meters that are operated by companies with a capital of up to 50 million yen (US$ 467,900). The proposal would prevent people below the age of 20 from entering the smoking areas, while obliging facility operators to put up signs to indicating that their facility has a "smoking space". Earlier, the ministry had planned to exempt bars with a floor space of up to 30 square meters. The use of heat-not-burn tobacco products is also regulated in the bill. About 15,000 estimated deaths occur each year from passive smoking in Japan, with 40% of non-smokers claiming they have inhaled smoke from others at eateries and restaurants.
Source: Kyodo News
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