TOKYO (Reuters) – The percentage of Japanese who smoke hit
a record low in June, but this is still high compared with
other industrialized nations, according to a survey published
on Tuesday.
Japan has long been relatively smoker-friendly, but a
growing awareness of the health risks associated with smoking,
and increasing limitations on where smoking is permitted, have
begun to whittle away at the number of people who still smoke.
According to the survey, which was conducted by Japan
Tobacco Inc, the world’s third-biggest tobacco company and a
former state monopoly, the number of Japanese who smoke edged
down to 29.2 percent from 29.4 percent in 2004.
By comparison, some 21.6 percent of U.S. citizens smoke,
according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
The rate of male smokers dipped by 1.1 percentage point to
45.8 percent — still the highest among industrialized nations
— while the percentage of female smokers actually rose by 0.6
point to 13.8 percent.
Japan Tobacco said the overall decline was due to Japan’s
aging population as well as a rising awareness of the health
risks and stricter smoking regulations.
Japan recently started requiring stronger warning messages
on cigarette packs. Since July, all cigarette packets have
carried warnings such as “Smoking can cause lung cancer and
increases the risk of cardiac problems, strokes and emphysema.”
Prior to that, packages carried warning labels that said
“Smoking may damage your health.”
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