Tag Archives: Japan

Japanese Smoking Pastime Combated with Bubbles

At the height of smoking in Japan, as many as 80 percent of the men smoked. That figure is double what American's saw during the height of tobacco use. For many in Japan, smoking is more than a bad habit or an addiction, it is an integral part of their way of life, especially where conversing is concerned.

Anti-smoking activist Bungaku Watanbe stated, "It's not that Japanese love smoking so much, it's that tobacco has been a pillar of Japanese national policy." The third-largest tobacco company, Japan Tobacco, is located near Government offices. The company is majority-owned by the government and lobbying has successfully warded off most legislature aimed at banning smoking.

In Japan, it is estimated that $90 billion is spent yearly on cigarette-related health costs and damages. That figure is more than three times the annual tobacco sales in the country according to the Japan Health Economics Association. To compare, in Japan, approximately 1/3 of all men smoke where the US figures state approximately 1/4 of males use cigarettes. With lung cancer rates spiking, positive anti-smoking legislature and bans are making headway.

As are bubbles. Continue Reading