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Japan’s smoking habits are changing

Smoking bans have been implemented in most Japanese workplaces and other public spaces. (Shutterstock)
Smoking bans have been implemented in most Japanese workplaces and other public spaces. (Shutterstock)
Smoking bans have been implemented in most Japanese workplaces and other public spaces. (Shutterstock)
Smoking bans have been implemented in most Japanese workplaces and other public spaces. (Shutterstock)
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02 Jul 2021 01:07:33 GMT9
02 Jul 2021 01:07:33 GMT9

Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Japan is a country where smoking is not only widely accepted, it’s almost an arm of the government. But various regulations – often by local governments – have helped to reduce consumption significantly.

Sales fell to below 100 billion units in the fiscal year just that just ended in March.  Rolled tobacco products sales declined by an unprecedented 16.3 percent from the year before to just under 99 billion cigarettes.

The Tobacco Institute of Japan figures indicate that the last time sales were this low was fiscal 1990, the year such data was first published.  This represents a drop of more than 70 percent from fiscal 1996.  Smoking rates have declined to 27% for men (a 2% decline since last year) and just over 7% (a 1% decline since last year) for women.

According to industry figures, smokers have been switching to non-combustible, smokeless tobacco products as a consequence of remote employment that has greatly increased due to the last year’s coronavirus pandemic.

Smoking bans have been implemented in most Japanese workplaces and other public spaces, and the spread of the coronavirus has led to many working from home. Although this has made it easier for smokers to smoke during the day, many smokers have been switching to non-combustible, smokeless products to reduce residual smoke inside their homes. 

These products are also popular among the younger generation in Japan, with sales in 2020 reaching over 40 billion units domestically, equivalent to almost 30 percent of the combined total sales for non-combustible-smokeless products and regular cigarettes. 

Japan Tobacco Inc. – established by the Japanese government, which still owns one third of the company’s stock – hopes to regain a significant portion of its lost sales with a new non-combustible, smokeless product this summer.

There are many designated smoking areas in Tokyo. Smokers sometimes have to stand in line to get in and there are rules to follow as measures taken after the outbreak of Covid-19. The city places stickers on the floor showing people where to stand. Smokers are warned against drinking, eating and talking, and they are forbidden to take photographs.

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