Tokyo Assembly Likely to OK Stricter Regulations on Passive Smoking

June 18, 2018

Tokyo- The Tokyo metropolitan assembly is likely to enact a proposal aimed at introducing measures against passive smoking that are stricter than those proposed by the Japanese government.

Major parties, except for the Liberal Democratic Party, are considering voting for the proposed ordinance, which was presented by the metropolitan government earlier this month, informed sources said.

They plan to make final decisions after discussions in the assembly set for Tuesday.

The assembly has 127 seats, of which one is currently vacant.

During Tuesday's discussions, Tomin First no Kai (Tokyoites first group), which is effectively led by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, and Komeito plan to clarify their support for anti-passive smoking measures included in the proposed ordinance. Tomin First has 53 seats, while Komeito controls 23 seats.

In addition, the Japanese Communist Party, which has 18 seats, and a group of five seats are considering supporting the measures.

The planned ordinance calls for prohibiting indoor smoking in principle for eateries with employees regardless of their store size. It would only permit smoking in smoking rooms where eating and drinking is not allowed.

On the other hand, the central government has proposed allowing smoking at eateries with eating or drinking areas of 100 square meters or less.

The metropolitan government hopes to fully implement the planned ordinance before the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, officials said.

Initially, some assembly members of Komeito stressed the need to give consideration to restaurants and bars that will have to comply with the indoor smoking ban.

But calls for seizing the opportunity to turn Tokyo into a smoke-free city in time for the Olympics and Paralympics later increased within the party.

Also thanks to the metropolitan government's decision to introduce less strict standards for heat-not-burn cigarettes, Komeito decided to support the proposed ordinance.

The LDP has been seeking more thorough deliberations on the proposed ordinance, claiming that the standards for defining the eateries with employees that will be subject to the ban are too vague. Jiji Press