Tobacco Vending Machine at Health Ministry Building to Be Removed

May 29, 2018

Tokyo- Japanese health minister Katsunobu Kato said Tuesday that his ministry will remove a tobacco vending machine in its office on Thursday, which is World No Tobacco Day, set by the World Health Organization.

"We ask for the people's understanding and cooperation on the issue of cigarettes and health," Kato told a press conference.

According to the ministry, the machine in question is the only tobacco vending machine in the No. 5 central government building that houses the health ministry and the Environment Ministry.

Since 1992, the health ministry has upheld the week starting on World No Tobacco Day on May 31 as a non-smoking week and in recent years has stopped operating the vending machine during the period.

After the removal of the machine, staff employees and others will not be able to buy cigarettes within the building located in the Kasumigaseki government district in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward. An outside smoking area will be kept intact.

A health promotion law revision bill, aimed at strengthening measures against passive smoking, has been submitted to the current regular session of the Diet, Japan's parliament. But deliberation on the bill has yet to start.

"We'll make our utmost effort for an early enactment of the bill," Kato said. Jiji Press