Health Smoking rates in Japan reach all-time minimum

According to a recent survey by Japan's health ministry, the country's regular smoking rate has reached an all-time low. The survey, conducted in 2022 among approximately 5,000 people aged 20 or older, found that only 14.8% of respondents were regular smokers. Men had a higher smoking rate, at 24.8%, while women's rate was significantly lower, at 6.2%. This marks the lowest overall smoking rate since the survey began in its current format in 2003. Over the past decade, the smoking rate has decreased by 5.9 per cent, with men experiencing a more pronounced decline of 9.3 per cent and women showing a decrease of 2.8 per cent.

Health ministry officials attribute the decline in smoking rates to the revised health promotion law, which restricts indoor smoking. They have also announced plans to increase support for individuals seeking to quit smoking.

The survey found that 21.7 per cent of the male smokers and 36.1 per cent of the female smokers wanted to quit. It also shows that 8.3 per cent had experienced passive smoking at amusement facilities over the previous month -- a decline of 18.8 points from the 2019 survey. Those who experienced it at restaurants accounted for 14.8 per cent -- a decrease of 14.8 points -- while 18.7 per cent cited the workplace -- a drop of 7.4 points.

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