Smoking in Japan

Minxie said:

It's like since NY is dirty, who cares if we litter, but if a place is clean then why make it dirty?
get my drift?

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think so...i think there are too many people with your attitude in my country too

deadhippo said:

think so...i think there are too many people with your attitude in my country too

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in terms of? being rude and throwing butts & smoking any place they please? or just respecting your homeland? lol

Minxie said:

in terms of? being rude and throwing butts & smoking any place they please? or just respecting your homeland? lol

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hi
in terms of...Dublin is dirty anyway so why bother trying to keep it clean
an attitude that makes no sense and one that is quite annoying
i hate to see people throw their butts or other trash on the ground

GaijinPunch said:

What are you smoking? The only places you can't smoke besides Chiyoda-ku are train platforms and subways.

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Chiyoda just led the way. Others have followed.

The good thing about it is that the ban is effectively toothless. If you don't pay the fine, nothing will happen to you. Compliance with both the ban and the penalty are voluntary.

I am Japanese, but I haven't been to Japan in 16 years. My cousins were born, bred & live in Japan, and they told me that smoking is limited now to certain sections. There are parts of Tokyo where you are not allowed to smoke at all.

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Trust me -- those spots are very few and far between. There are no non-smoking bars, and even fewer non-smoking restaurants. The non-smoking sections of restaurants are usually smaller than the smoking section. The only place you can't smoke outside (that I know of) is Chiyoda-ku.

The states it really depends on the city (or state). Some places are very strict, some aren't too bad. I think across the board though it's pretty hard to smoke indoors in the states now.

Chiyoda just led the way. Others have followed.

The good thing about it is that the ban is effectively toothless. If you don't pay the fine, nothing will happen to you. Compliance with both the ban and the penalty are voluntary.

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Didkn't know that, although I'd say people in Akihabara tend to obey the rule. Given the traffic, it's probably not a bad idea to keep people from smoking there. I assume this is somewhat like not paying NTT for a TV license? I quit just as the law was coming into play. They never got me.

GaijinPunch said:

The only place you can't smoke outside (that I know of) is Chiyoda-ku.

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Read it and weep....or rejoice:

窶｢ﾃ?窶堋ｫ窶堋ｽ窶堙寂?堋ｱ窶ｹﾃ滅ｽ~ﾂ湘ｰ窶氾｡窶堋ｪ窶堋?窶堙ｩﾅｽﾂｩﾅｽﾂ｡窶佚啓/URL]

deadhippo said:

hi
in terms of...Dublin is dirty anyway so why bother trying to keep it clean
an attitude that makes no sense and one that is quite annoying
i hate to see people throw their butts or other trash on the ground

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Yeah, I understand. It sucks that many of us have that attitude, one being myself in the streets of New York, but considering that even thought I do have this attitude at times, I'm actually not a big litterbug. If I have garbage I throw it in the trashcan, and not on the floor. However, I guess with cigarettes, it's a totally different thing. But in Japan, I respected the smoking laws, and only smoked & threw my butts where permitted.

Since I came back to Japan, I am certain I have been subject to the 2nd hand smoke from so many smokers in Japan. I am just amazed at the prevalence of smoking in the public places, offices, restaurants, and etc. For a non smoker like me, any whiff of smoke drifting to my way while minding my own business is one of the things which annoy me to no end.
I am going to be in charge of the new facility for my employer. I am going to ban smoking in any place inside the new building after moving from the old facility. I am going to make smokers smoke outside so that I can keep the air clean inside the facility.

JerseyBoy said:

Since I came back to Japan, I am certain I have been subject to the 2nd hand smoke from so many smokers in Japan. I am just amazed at the prevalence of smoking in the public places, offices, restaurants, and etc. For a non smoker like me, any whiff of smoke drifting to my way while minding my own business is one of the things which annoy me to no end.
I am going to be in charge of the new facility for my employer. I am going to ban smoking in any place inside the new building after moving from the old facility. I am going to make smokers smoke outside so that I can keep the air clean inside the facility.

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Do you goose-step when you walk?

JerseyBoy said:

I am going to be in charge of the new facility for my employer. I am going to ban smoking in any place inside the new building after moving from the old facility. I am going to make smokers smoke outside so that I can keep the air clean inside the facility.

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Why completely ban something when it is legal by law? I could never understand that. I am a smoker, but I do like others smoke in a confined space like an airplane or on a train which is why I am glad they now ban it in both Japan and the US. I am also for the banning of smoking in public places like an office or restaurant. However, there is still something enjoyable of a smoky bar or night club.

Anyway, if you force all your workers to smoke outside than your productivity will decrease as many workers will be going outside to smoke once an hour or so and will not be working. 10 minutes/cigarette at 8 hrs a day will mean almost an hour and a half of lost productivity for each smoker. That sure adds up to alot of lost productivity in the course of a year!

On the otherhand you cannot ban it completely as most people are mentally addicted to it and cannot do without a cigarette for a certain period of time. But it is still legal and should be allowed.

You should do what we did in the Japanese company I used to work at and which I helped impliment. We set up two rooms for smokers for which they could smoke in anytime they wished during the course of a day. However, there was a stipulation and that was that they would have to be working while they smoked. It could be talking to clients; it could be taking work with you to work on while you smoked; it could be having a meeting with a collegue, etc.

The point was that you couldn't just go into that room and smoke and do nothing as that was as unproductive as forcing the smokers to smoke outside doing nothing. We wished to allow them to smoke, but to be productive at the same time while not bothering the non-smokers.

It was effective and it worked and all employees, smokers and non-smokers, were satisfied.

Maybe you should consider something similar rather than forcing employees outside during the work day.

However, there was a stipulation and that was that they would have to be working while they smoked.

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I like the other rule: get off employees balls as long as they get their work done. Nobody else seems to go for that though.

By the way, I would like to post I have instituted the non-smoking policy in the building for the new facility. Employees are monitored closely so that they will work for the hours they are getting paid. They have some breaks during the course of the work day; so, they can use those breaks for inhaling their cancer sticks outside the building.

The smoking ban in ALL public places came in here on the 1st of this month. I find it very silly. Im not a smoker but not being allowed to smoke in your work fan or inside your office even when it has a smoke room is too far.

Making your workers smoke outside even when its not law is a bit....harsh. What about during winter? Or the raining season? Again im not a smoker but if i was i wouldnt be standing outside until it was law or in my contract.

I think its a good idea to ban smoking where other people might have to inhale the smoke as well, such as in a working place.

For one I don't want to breathe in someone elses smoke. However I think most places should just designate a room where smoking is allowed, rather than kick people outside.

thats what im saying Marsans. I hate people smoking when im eating and often give people a mouthful about it at the end of the day why should i get diseases because others choose to smoke but i think if a company hires smokers they should facilitate smokers, there should be a line.

One of the pathetic sights is smokers huddle in the corner outside the building, puffing smokes, regardless of the weather. I don't mind them smoking as long as I don't get exposed to their second hand smoke.

I avoid restaurants in Japan as most of those establishments do not have the proper smoking and non smoking section. The smoke just waffle over to the non smoking section freely. But, unfortunately, I have to go to restaurants for lunch occasionally when I have to join my colleagues.

I understand your feelings Jerseyboy, like i said before i hate eating while people smoke also but i think if there was a smokers room you wouldnt be exposed to the smoke the same way. I dont think that sending smokers outside for their breaks because they smoke is right, its almost discrimination. I think as they are smokers they should be considerate to their fellow workers by not smoking at their desks but also they should shave somewhere else to go.