Nearly 60 Pct of Japanese Avoid Restaurants Allowing Smoking

September 3, 2018

Tokyo- A recent survey by a private think tank has found that 58.1 pct of Japanese people avoid restaurants and bars that allow smoking without separating nonsmoking sections.

The online survey by Health and Global Policy Institute also found that 25.1 pct of all respondents said they shun eating and drinking establishments that are not smoke-free, even if smoking and nonsmoking areas are separated.

Of the male respondents, 52.5 pct said they avoid eating and drinking establishments that allow smoking without separating areas. The share stood at 63.3 pct among women.

Meanwhile, respondents who avoid nonsmoking establishments accounted for 15.1 pct of the total respondents.

Restaurant and bar owners worry that the number of customers may drop if they ban smoking inside their establishments. But the institute said many people avoid establishments where smoking is allowed.

Asked where respondents experienced passive smoking in the past year, 61.5 pct cited streets and 61.0 pct eating and drinking establishments. At workplaces and schools, 33.7 pct experienced secondhand smoking.

The survey also found that 35.8 pct worry about effects on their own health when people around them use heat-not-burn tobacco products, while 27.3 pct had no such worry. The remaining 36.9 pct said they do not know.

The survey was conducted on people aged 20 and over nationwide in June. Valid answers came from 1,000 people, of whom 21.1 pct were smokers and 78.9 pct nonsmokers. Jiji Press