LWIF X EP26: Why is Smoking Indoors in Japan Still a Thing?

Currently it’s completely legal to smoke indoors in many places in Japan, such as restaurants, cafes, and bars. The national Japanese government did start working on a bill to introduce partial indoor smoking bans, but those have been abandoned for now. Local governments can also introduce smoking laws and the Tokyo Metropolitan government has started working on one that it’s hoping to implement it in time for the 2019 Rugby World Cup and especially before the 2020 Olympics. Information Sources ● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_cigarette_consumption_per_capita ● http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.65 ● https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/06/27/national/science-health/smokers-make-less-20-japans-population-first-time-survey-finds/#.WcOjYsgjEuU ● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking_ban ● https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/08/14/national/science-health/anti-smoking-bill-leaves-details-size-restaurants-exempted-ban-undecided/ ● https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/09/08/national/tokyo-seek-partial-smoking-ban-2019-koike-says/#.Wc3r32iCwuU ● https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/10/06/national/tokyo-metropolitan-assembly-passes-ordinance-passive-smoking-aimed-protecting-children/#.WffLDmiCwuU ● https://www.forbes.com/2009/06/04/economic-impact-bars-restaurants-opinions-contributors-smoking-ban.html ● http://www.bbc.com/news/health-18628811 ● https://object.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/serials/files/regulation/2010/6/regv33n2-4.pdf ● https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249552/ ● http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/29/nyregion/bars-and-restaurants-thrive-amid-smoking-ban-study-says.html?mcubz=3 ● http://nationalpost.com/news/canada/welcome-to-the-last-days-of-smoking-on-bar-patios-ontario-decrees-jan-1-ban ● https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/08/14/national/science-health/anti-smoking-bill-leaves-details-size-restaurants-exempted-ban-undecided/#.Wc3s1miCwuV ● https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/06/02/national/science-health/health-ministry-drops-effort-ban-smoking-restaurants-amid-efforts-curb-cancer/#.Wc3r0miCwuU ● https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2017/05/02/how-would-i-live-if-smoking-is-banned-japanese-politicians-decry-calls-for-smoke-free-olympics/?utm_term=.649a9196dba2 ● http://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/2098269/tobacco-free-2020-olympics-or-japan-blowing-smoke ● https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2017/10/14/editorials/passive-smoking-children/#.WffLBmiCwuU ● https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/10/24/national/facing-ldp-resistance-japan-approves-cancer-policy-without-tougher-smoking-ban/#.WffLAGiCwuU Image Sources ● Canada House of Commons – By Makaristos – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5324042 ● US House of Representatives – By Speaker.gov – https://www.flickr.com/photos/speakerboehner/20629824324/in/dateposted/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43643307 ● Abe, Shinzo – By Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from Washington D.C, United States – CJCS meets with Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61874935 ● Koike, Yuriko – By 江戸村のとくぞう – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=60490819 ● JT Tobacco Building -By Rs1421 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22734310