Osaka Implements Citywide Smoking Ban to Enhance Visitor Experience Ahead of Expo 2025

Osaka Implements Citywide Smoking Ban to Enhance Visitor Experience Ahead of Expo 2025

TOKYO, Jan 27 – The city of Osaka has officially implemented a comprehensive smoking ban on public streets, taking a significant step toward becoming a more visitor-friendly destination ahead of the highly anticipated World Expo 2025.

The global event, scheduled to begin in April, will bring together participants from around 160 countries and regions. In preparation, Osaka’s leadership is prioritizing public health and safety, aiming to provide a cleaner, smoke-free environment for millions of expected visitors.

“We want Osaka to be a city where people from all over the world feel safe and welcome, with smoke-free streets,” Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama announced earlier this month, underscoring the city’s commitment to fostering a healthier urban environment.

Previously, smoking was prohibited in six designated zones, including areas around Osaka Station. As of today, the ban extends across the entire city, with violators facing a fine of 1,000 yen ($6.40).

A Broader Push for Smoke-Free Spaces

This initiative builds on existing local regulations in Japan, which already discourage smoking while walking in most areas. However, efforts to establish stricter nationwide smoking laws have faced resistance from some lawmakers.

Additionally, starting in April, the wider Osaka region will implement new restrictions, prohibiting smoking in eateries with seating areas larger than 30 square meters (320 square feet). Exceptions will be made for designated smoking rooms. By comparison, current national laws restrict smoking in establishments exceeding 100 square meters (1,076 square feet).

Challenges Ahead for Expo 2025

Despite Osaka’s proactive measures, Expo 2025 organizers face mounting challenges. Slow ticket sales and growing concerns about the construction budget have cast a shadow over preparations. By early January, only 7.5 million tickets had been sold—just half of the target for the six-month-long event.

Smoking Policies in Japan

Osaka’s smoking ban reflects a broader shift in Japan, where tobacco use is gradually declining. Smoking rates dropped to 15.7% in 2023, aligning with global trends. The nation has taken steps to limit smoking in public spaces, including Tokyo’s complete ban on smoking in restaurants before the 2018 Olympics.

However, outdoor smoking remains permitted in certain districts of Tokyo. Notably, the Japanese government continues to play a significant role in the tobacco industry, earning around two trillion yen ($13 billion) annually in cigarette tax revenue and maintaining a one-third stake in Japan Tobacco, the world’s third-largest tobacco company.

As Expo 2025 approaches, Osaka’s commitment to smoke-free streets signals a forward-thinking approach, prioritizing health, safety, and an enhanced experience for visitors from around the globe.

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