Tokyo Passes Anti-Smoking Law Ahead Of 2020 Games

Tokyo, which will host the 2020 Summer Olympics, passed a "tough anti-smoking law" on Wednesday that will "effectively ban smoking in most of the city's bars and restaurants" in the run-up to the Games, according to Elaine Lies of REUTERS. Japan "lags many countries in efforts to fight smoking, with attempts to tackle tobacco often stymied by pro-smoking politicians, restaurateurs and Japan Tobacco," which is one-third owned by the government. The new city law, which takes full effect "several months before the Olympics open" on July 24, 2020, bans smoking in any bar or restaurant with hired employees. The Tokyo law is "far tougher than legislation under debate in the upper house of Japan's parliament to tackle the threat of secondhand smoke." The Tokyo law will forbid outdoor smoking in places "where children may be present" (REUTERS, 6/27).