Smoking Rate among Japanese is Decreasing

The Japanese smoker becomes something rare. According to a recent survey, 21% of Japanese adults are current smokers, the lowest percentage ever recorded since the annual report realized by Japan Tobacco Inc. started in 1965. The smoking rate in Japan decreased for the 14th consecutive year, but the most recent figure is 2.2. % lower than 2010, demonstrating the fastest annual decrease registered in recent years. It is one more triumph for the anti-smoking activists.

Japan Tobacco (JT) that is the leading cigarette manufacturer attributes the decrease to the growing awareness about smoking consequences among population as well as the increasing number of restrictions. Local governments have created special areas for smoking in public places, however smoking while walking is prohibited. But probably the main nicotine-killer in Japan has been a tax increase imposed on smoking products last months- the unexpected raise of ¥3.5 hike per cigarette, or ¥70 on a package of cigarettes brought to approximately 40% hike in tobacco prices.

Although the criticized Democratic Party of Japan is likely to put aside the plans that would have increased the tobacco tax again, at present there isn’t any action in this direction. The DPJ is expected to lead meetings on a possible elimination with opposition parties the New Komeito and the Liberal Democratic Party, which is backed by the tobacco growers.

The smoking culture has made a long way starting from 1990s, when people decided to quit their habit. According to data, the Japan smoking rate among adults was about 36.3% in 1995, the year when a slow decrease among those who light up began. Nowadays in Japan it is banned to smoke and buy cigarettes fro those less than 20 years.

JT- the world’s third biggest cigarette company by sales volumes after Phillip Morris International Inc. and British American Tobacco, declared a few months ago that its group operating income decreased 9.5% to $922.9 million in its fiscal first quarter, affected by the undermining of its tobacco sales after the March 11 disaster.

In order to overcome the changes, Japan Tobacco has called for compromise rather than a complete ban on smoking as those introduced in USA and Europe. “JT will do everything in order to create a society in which smokers and those who do not light up can co-exist,” stated the company representative in a report. One way of creating this atmosphere is in prompting smokers to be polite and not litter streets with butts. 
Also the company spokesman said that they offer consulting services to offices, stores and restaurants in order to support the creation of smoking and non-smoking areas similar to establishments in New York City.