Legal Only 4 of Tokyo's 23 wards fine smokers

Only Adachi, Shinagawa, Shibuya and Chiyoda wards fine violators for heated tobacco use.

Despite the growing popularity of heated tobacco products in Japan, only four of Tokyo's 23 wards have implemented comprehensive smoking bans that include both traditional cigarettes and heated tobacco products and impose fines for violations. This disparity in regulations highlights the need for stricter controls on heated tobacco products, which now constitute 40% of the smoking market in Japan.

All 23 wards in Tokyo have ordinances restricting street smoking in designated areas or across the ward. Adachi Ward recently included heated tobacco products in its regulations, prompting the Mainichi Shimbun to survey other wards' policies. Shinagawa Ward has restrictions in place for both traditional cigarettes and heated products and fines violators 1,000 yen (about $6.40), while Shibuya Ward imposes a 2,000-yen fine. Chiyoda Ward added heated tobacco to its 2,000-yen fine list starting November 2024. The ward had previously excluded such products from penalties due to difficulty distinguishing them from electronic cigarettes, which vaporize non-nicotine substances. Complaints about passive smoking from heated tobacco products led to the change.

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Adachi, Shinagawa, Shibuya, and Chiyoda are the only wards fining violators of heated tobacco use. Suginami Ward stopped collecting fines in 2014, citing cost concerns and a shift to awareness campaigns. Sumida, Ota, Nakano, Kita, Itabashi, Nerima, and Katsushika have ordinances allowing fines of up to 20,000 yen but lack designated enforcement areas or timelines, rendering the rules ineffective. A Kita Ward official cited fairness concerns and staff shortages as barriers to enforcement.

Eleven wards, including Chuo, Shinjuku, and Edogawa, do not impose fines. Chuo Ward officials noted that many street-smoking incidents occur on private roads or parking lots, complicating enforcement. Edogawa Ward emphasized awareness campaigns over penalties. Four wards—Shinjuku, Setagaya, Toshima, and Nerima—exclude heated tobacco products, focusing instead on the risks of lit cigarettes. Shinjuku and Toshima are considering future regulations for heated tobacco.