Tobacco smoking in Japan is very popular and much less restricted than in
many other nations, and Japan accounts for the big share of the current tobacco
consumption in Asia. Nearly 30 million people smoke in Japan, making the
country one of the world's largest tobacco markets. Japan is one of the last industrialized
nations in the world where adult smoking is still widespread; statistics show
Japanese men smoke at one of the highest rates in the world. The smoking rate
among adults was 52.8% in men and 13.4% in women in 1998. By 2008, the amount
of smokers significantly declined to 29%, 43% of men and 13% of women. Anti-tobacco propaganda is causing some
Japanese to consider giving away this habit, and the total amount of smokers continues
to gradually decrease. As of 2010, the total smoking rate dropped to 24%, 36.6%
of Japanese men and 12.1% of Japanese women, and this is the lowest recorded numbers
since Japan Tobacco began surveying in 1965.
History
The history of
tobacco in Japan goes back nearly 700 years and smoking among the general
population has been common for over 200 years. The first use of tobacco
in Japanese history dates from the 16th century, when Portuguese merchants brought
tobacco to the southern part of Japan. Smoking spread from south to north,
along with the cultivation of tobacco leaf. Cigarette manufacturing began around
1870 at the beginning of the Meiji era. At that time, a few large corporations
gradually made cigarette smoking popular among the general population.
The Meiji government created a government monopoly over tobacco at the
end of the 19th century. A tax on tobacco was introduced for the first
time in 1883. Then, in order to collect taxes more eedctively to fund the
expansion of armaments during a series of wars, the government made leaf
production and procurement a state monopoly with the Tobacco Leaf Monopoly Law
in 1886. Since then, the Japanese
government has been directly involved in promoting tobacco sales, with
the result that cigarette smoking became popular.
The Japanese government in the late 1890s created the Japan Public
Monopoly Corporation (JPMC), which later became one of the largest tobacco
companies in the world. In the early 1980s, the Japanese government began discussions
on the privatization of JPMC. Although strongly opposed by the JPMC union, the retailers
association, the farmers association, and anti-smoking groups, the Japanese government in 1985 converted
JPMC to Japan Tobacco, Inc (JT), a non-governmental corporation, in order to
enhance the corporation’s economic growth.
Still, many powerful governmental officials have strong business interests
in the tobacco industry and thus tobacco control legislation is uncommon in
Japan.
Pricing
A particular brand of cigarettes in Japan costs the same across all
vendors, from cigarette machines to big supermarkets to corner shops. Bulk
purchases are not discounted. Until recently, a pack of cigarettes cost was about 300
yen ($3 US). As of 1 October 2010, the price of a typical pack of cigarettes went up significantly
to 410 yen, in part because of a levy by the Japanese government of 3.5 yen per
cigarette.
Vending machines
Cigarette-selling vending machines are everywhere--in office buildings,
restaurants, and inside restrooms. Up until recently anyone--even
children--could easily buy cigarettes from the automated cancer vendors.
Apparently, high school kids loved this distribution system almost as much as
the tobacco companies. So, the new system has been developed empowering
vending machines with the artificial intelligence to check for buyer’s ID
before allowing a sale. Now everyone wanting to purchase via vending
machine must first register for a "tobacco card" certifying that they
are of legal smoking age.
Smoking laws
and bans
Unlike in Europe and North America, where smoking bans apply to many
restaurants, bars and public areas, smoking is possible almost anywhere in
Japan. There are few anti-smoking laws, as many politicians have interests in Japan
Tobacco. Japan Tobacco controls 66% of the cigarette market in Japan as
well as the manufacturing and marketing of cigarettes such as Camel ,Winston
and Mild Seven.
Many of the wealthier wards of Tokyo, such as Shinjuku and Shibuya, are
applying various kinds of anti-smoking laws. They have designated special
smoking sections in areas and it is punishable by fine if caught smoking
outside these areas. Chiyoda-ku banned smoking while walking on busy streets
from November 2002, the first local government in Japan to do so. While
22% of Kyoto hotel rooms are non-smoking, common areas like bars and
restaurants are not.
The law also prohibits the smoking of cigarettes by persons under the age
of twenty.
Health and
longevity
In spite of the extremely high rates of the smokers in Japan, people
there enjoy one of the highest longevity in the World. The lower incidence of
lung cancer in Japan, despite a higher smoking rate than the United States, is
known as the “Japanese smoking/lung cancer paradox.” There are heated debates
among professionals on why Japanese smokers have a lower incidence of lung
cancer, even though they smoke more. The answer is most likely a combination of
reasons that include:
- Lower alcohol
consumption by Japanese males
- Lower fat
intake by Japanese males
- Higher
efficiency of filters in Japanese cigarettes
- Lower
levels of carcinogens in Japanese cigarettes
- Genetic
factors that result in Japanese men being less prone to developing lung
cancer
- Earlier age
of smoking onset in American men
- Lifestyle
factors other than smoking, such as diet and exercise.
Part of Japan's health success has been also attributed to universal
health coverage, accomplished at a relatively low price: the country spends 8.5
percent of its GDP on health care, while the U.S. spends 16.4 percent, and
Germany spends 10.7 percent.
Smoking
Manners
While the smoking
popularity in Japan is going down, JT (Japan Tobacco) is making reasonable
efforts to keep Japan’s smoking population at profitable levels. For the past
few years the company has pleading with smokers to practice good manners and
follow the “smokers’ style.” And if you’re in any doubt as how to be a good
smoker, the company’s Web site is full of useful tips, smoking games, smoking
history and suggestions on where to have a pleasant smoke.
In addition to
outside smoking areas, the company has gone to trouble of establishing “Smoking
Lounges,” café-style spaces where smokers can puff away without having to shell
out for a coffee. JT’s first “Smoking Lounge” opened at Narita airport in
January 2006 but more have been popping up around Tokyo since. Naturally,
there’s a catch to these “free” spaces. If you visit JT’s smoking lounge in
Roppongi, for example, you’ll be given a sales pitch for Kent cigarettes (most
likely by a young woman), asked to fill out a questionnaire and given you a
free sample of Kent to try (one cigarette per person). Each smoking space
appears to be promoting a different JT brand. JT also has the retro-looking SmoCar
– a mobile smoker’s space that shows up at events nationwide and promotes
smoking manners.
While an increasing
number of cafes and restaurants are now closing their doors to smokers, Cafe
Tobacco, which opened its first store in Shimbashi in 2009, is catering
exclusively to cigarettes lovers (and offering exceptionally bitter coffee
blends to boot). More smoker-friendly spots can be found in JT’s gourmet
section, which concentrates on a different metro area each month. The
guide also includes outdoor spots where a peaceful smoking experience can be
enjoyed.
We can argue and
speculate how Japan Tobacco is trying to divert public attention from the real
danger of the cigarette smoking for health, but there is no doubt that having
good manners and respect for the non-smokers is essential in every country and
in each culture.
Sources and Additional
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