Smoking Rate in Japan Hits Record Low of 17.9 Pct

July 30, 2018

Tokyo- The share of Japanese adults who smoke hit a record low of 17.9 pct as of May, down 0.3 percentage point from a year before, Japan Tobacco Inc. said Monday.

The share sunk to a record low for the third straight year, the company said.

Smokers in Japan are decreasing due chiefly to growing health-consciousness and tighter regulations, it said.

For men, the smoking rate declined 0.4 point to 27.8 pct and that for women fell 0.3 point to 8.7 pct, each marking a record low.

The combined number of smokers is estimated at 18.8 million, down 370,000.

The figures were based on a survey conducted on 32,000 adults across the country, with valid responses coming from 60.6 pct. Jiji Press