Japan's smoking rates continue to decline for men, women in 2022

Good

Certainly not declining here in Kyushu.

Great news, I look forward to the day the rate hits zero.

How come Japan is always behind western Countries?

Smoking rates, vaccination rollout rates, animal welfare,sex offender list, etc.

well, tobacco. what about vapes, or is that beneficial to health, and wallet? wherever I go I see more people vaping than tobacco-ing....

well, tobacco. what about vapes,

Confusingly, vapes are also called "tobacco" (電子たばこ) in Japan, even though they by law aren't allowed to contain nicotine.

or is that beneficial to health, and wallet?

Certainly worse than doing nothing, but better than smoking, on both accounts.

wherever I go I see more people vaping than tobacco-ing....

You probably mostly see those "IQOS" things, those are yet another take on the matter, they work by heating tobacco. They are the tabacco industry's successful attempt to retain their customers -- and keep them addicted: they do contain nicotine.

I have been in this country 25 plus years and compared to when I first arrived when people walked down the street with a cigarette in their hand and blowing that stinky crap in your face a HUGE change and grateful for it, too.

Vapes contain nicotine, but do not produce tar or carbon monoxide.

E-cigarettes produce an aerosol by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals that help to make the aerosol. The liquid used in e-cigarettes often contains nicotine and flavorings. This liquid is sometimes called “e-juice,” “e-liquid,” “vape juice,” or “vape liquid.”

Otherwise, there would be no point vaping if there was no nicotine in them....

Are they considering their stats on people quitting fire heated cigarettes switching to e-cigs?

Japan had the lamest and most stupid approach I've seen regarding to smoking.

Smoking outside on the street, bad for people's health.

Smoking indoors, "no proven facts" (according to J-politicians) that secondhand smoking is bad. So it's totally fine to smoke indoors.

Vapes contain nicotine,

They can of course, but in Japan they don't. In Japan, nicotine is categorized as "active pharmaceutical ingredient", with the effect that vape liquids containing nicotine are regulated as medical products. Selling them in domestic shops is illegal.

You can import vape liquid that contains nicotine, you can bring it with you, you can use it, but you can't buy it here.

How much of JT (Japan Tobacco) do the Japanese government still own?

It's just a survey. Many people for the purpose of the survey say they don't smoke.

In this country there is no gambling and prostitution is illegal, however, we have pachinko and soap lands.

Ask yourself the question, why there are very few NON SMOKING mansions?

I had and still have so many problems with balcony smokers, parking smokers, passerby smokers, truck driver smokers like literally can recognize that this survey is based on wrong or biased numbers.

It is a pipe dream, but I truly wish JT would put a message on every single cancer-stick carton to be responsible for the end product: the ciggie butt, and to NOT throw in the streets. Take it home and throw it away there. Carry a little kiss-purse to collect them in the meanwhile. Jeez, the street trash from smokers is really discouraging.

It was also reported here recently that life expectancy has dropped. Should we ask if there is a connection?

How come Japan is always behind western Countries?

Smoking rates, vaccination rollout rates, animal welfare,sex offender list, etc.

And don't forget shooting deaths, imprisonment rate, obesity rate, etc. A lot of catching up to do, eh.

The male smoking rate dropped 3.4 percentage points from the previous survey in 2019 to 25.4 percent, while the female smoking rate was down 1.1 points to 7.7 percent.

So overall thats a decrease among about 2..3% of the population.

Makes me wonder, how much of this is people actually quitting...

...and how much of this is from people dying off?

 what about vapes

Not available in Japan

Have to agree with Justasking.

been here 28 out of the last 32 years give or take. The difference is remarkable. As I recall, roughly 45-50% of men and around 25% of women smoked when I got here at the last gasp of the bubble era, as did I.

I finally after many, many attempts and a on and off history of smoking, managed to quit for good 2 years ago. So glad I did. Hope it wasn’t too late. Better later than never I guess.

I think that a change in what is socially acceptable, and restrictions on where smoking is allowed have made a big difference.

It used to be totally normal to have a puff walking down the street or in a public toilet. That’s a no-no now and it’s a good thing.

I think in another 20 years the rates will be tiny because smoking will make one a social pariah, and because most people still smoking will have died from it by then.

Addiction? To cigarettes? To alcohol?

How to stop Addiction to Cigarette and to Alcohol?

It may take a loooooooolong time! But Parents AND Schools START training children to Hate cigarettes AND alcohol NOW !

At seven years, I took ! a ! sip ! from my father's whisky. That was my First and Last taste of alcohol.

At seven years, I took ! a ! puff ! from my grandfather's cigarette. That was my First and Last puff of cigarette smoke.

I am enjoying a long life. In January, Mary Simon - Governor General of Canada sent me happy greetings for my birthday. She was seven years early. I think she thinks: seven years early is better than never.

@piskian--the government holds a 33.4 percent stake in JT, accounting for 2 trillion yen, or 6 percent, out of the governments 32.8 trillion in share holdings. Source is an article in the business section of Aug. 4 Japan Times.

Similar to the stake in NTT and Japan Post. Down from 50 percent at the time of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Tokyo Metro is over 50 percent govt owned.

@Samit--that is a pretty goofy poster. Looks like Pac-Man had too much to drink or too much sun at the beach, and is dealing with it by having a ciggy. But how was it lit by this mascot without any hands?

And now what? We have even now a sinking life expectancy, statistically. Admitted, that also must not the reason, but it's of course contributing to the fact that if one risk is lowered, then other risks will rise accordingly. For example or illustration, you have then a few less lung cancer cases, but let's say more deadly sports accidents, because the more or newly non smokers then think they are fit like Hercules. And so on, bicycle or mountain climbing or swimming accidents, or even more cases of dangerous overwork and all such. Smoking isn't good, but not smoking isn't at all or at least not so very much better.

Smoking isn't good, but not smoking isn't at all or at least not so very much better.

I love this website .!. .!. .!.

Not to worry JT will continue to find ways to sell and profit off it's Cancerous Poisons.

This is the most compelling evidence we have that the Showa era is ending

I’ve seen less cigarette smoking but electronic is everyone it seems. I’ve also seen more smokers not following the law about walking and smoking.

thank you Roy and Paul for your informative reponses!!!!!

GarthgoyleAug. 11  06:41 pm JST

Japan had the lamest and most stupid approach I've seen regarding to smoking.

Smoking outside on the street, bad for people's health.

Smoking indoors, "no proven facts" (according to J-politicians) that secondhand smoking is bad. So it's totally fine to smoke indoors.

Smoking is prohibited indoors in all public buildings and even in most private buildings. Some buildings have smoking rooms and they're the only place to smoke and are well ventilated plus everyone using them are smokers so they can't complain about second hand smoke.

Or are you suggesting that it should be illegal to smoke in one's own home.

> albaleoAug. 11 06:57 pm JST

It was also reported here recently that life expectancy has dropped. Should we ask if there is a connection?

How come Japan is always behind western Countries?

Smoking rates, vaccination rollout rates, animal welfare,sex offender list, etc.

And don't forget shooting deaths, imprisonment rate, obesity rate, etc. A lot of catching up to do, eh.

I don't trust Japanese stats at the best of times but the life expectancy rates are complicated in Japan because you have some elderly not reporting their birth correctly and people not reporting the death of an elderly family member (often to claim the pension or having no money for a funeral).

@MilesTeg

Doesn't sound like you've ever been to Japan. Or maybe you don't go out too often.

The only person in this entire post suggesting it should be illegal to smoke at home is you.

Doesn't sound like you've ever been to Japan. Or maybe you don't go out too often.

What about his post was wrong to you?

Smoking is prohibited indoors in all public buildings and even in most private buildings.

Check.

Some buildings have smoking rooms and they're the only place to smoke and are well ventilated plus everyone using them are smokers so they can't complain about second hand smoke.

Check

Or are you suggesting that it should be illegal to smoke in one's own home.

A question was asked. It wasn't a suggestion to make smoking in one's home illegal.

@Strangeland

Public buildings like city hall and the like, yes. they are not smoking.

But quite many restaurants (including family restaurants), most bars & clubs (if not all), and many cafes allow smoking.

And his question was not a question. He/she implied I suggested that.

Cigarettes are far too cheap in Japan. In Australia a packet of cigarettes will cost around $50 or more. The rates of smoking in adults is down to around 11%. Advertising and displaying tobacco products is banned in Australia. Japan needs to tackle this problem far more vigorously.