"If You Don't Snap Out of It, Big Trouble"... Japan, Once Relatively Free, Tightens 'Total Ban' Restrictions

Osaka Bans Smoking in All Public Places
Streets and Parks Included... E-cigarettes Also Prohibited
1,000 Yen Fine Imposed for Violations

Osaka City, Japan, which will host the Osaka-Kansai Expo in April, will ban smoking in public places such as streets and parks starting from the 27th.

On this day, local media including Asahi Shimbun and Yomiuri Shimbun unanimously reported that Osaka City is the first among the "designated cities" with a population of over 500,000, designated by the Japanese government, to declare the entire city a non-smoking area. Accordingly, smoking of both conventional cigarettes and electronic cigarettes will be prohibited in public places.

Osaka City, Japan. Pixabay

Considering that the theme of the Expo opening on April 13 is "Designing Future Society with Life Shine," Osaka City has been promoting a plan to ban smoking throughout the city. As a result, the ordinance amendment containing the related provisions was passed by the city council in March last year and has been implemented from this day. Osaka Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama said, "The expansion of non-smoking areas is a measure to create an environment befitting an international tourist city," and added, "We ask for the understanding and cooperation of citizens and business operators to realize pleasant and beautiful streets."

Previously, since 2007, Osaka City has enforced an ordinance banning street smoking in certain areas and imposing a fine of 1,000 yen (about 9,200 won) for violations. However, the smoking ban areas were limited to six places such as around Osaka Station and Namba Station, where there is a large floating population, not the entire city. From now on, smokers must smoke in smoking rooms installed throughout the streets instead of smoking on the streets.

Osaka City plans to improve smoking facilities around train stations and parks in the future and increase the number of guides responsible for smoking enforcement and fine imposition from the current 74 to 100. In addition, to promote the city's non-smoking system to foreign tourists, guidance will continue at subway stations and other locations. In April, when the Expo is held, Osaka Prefecture (Osaka-fu) will also ban street smoking entirely and fully enforce the ordinance to prevent secondhand smoke. Therefore, restaurants with an area exceeding 30㎡ will, in principle, become non-smoking areas unless they prepare measures such as installing dedicated smoking rooms.

Meanwhile, according to the "Basic Survey on National Life" by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, among the 20 designated cities and Tokyo Metropolis in 2022, the city with the highest smoking rate was Kitakyushu City (18.6%). Next was Sapporo City (18.2%), and Osaka City (17.7%) ranked third. The smoking rate in Tokyo Metropolis was 13.7%.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.