Chiyoda Ward Cracking Down Hardest on Smoking In Public

[Mulboyne]

[floatr][/floatr]The Tokyo Shimbun has a report (Japanese) which says that, since Chiyoda ward in Tokyo first introduced on-the-spot fines for people smoking in the street six years ago, the total amount of money collected is now approaching one hundred millllion yen. With fines set at 2,000 yen, that's nearly 50,000 instances of smokers being apprehended. Akihabara sees the largest number of offenders, with around 14,000 fines levied, while Kanda and the area around Yasukini dori each registered just over half that number. A spokesman suggested that Akihabara sees a lot of visitors who are unaware of the ward's smoking regulations which would account for the higher totals. Other areas have introduced similar measures but seemingly not with the zeal of Chiyoda ward. Shinagawa, which levies a 1,000 yen fine, recorded a total of only 78 cases in about a year and a half. Other wards, such as Nakano, designate no smoking areas but do not levy fines and rely on the self-restraint of members of the public. Meanwhile, Chiyoda intends to expand it's no-smoking public areas with a particular emphasis on parks.

[Nama Ebi]

Good for Chiyoda Ward! I have always thought that groups of attractive uniformed young ladies pointing at smokers walking along the street and yelling "Kusai!!!" would shame these filthy bastards into being more mindful of other people, but if the fines work, all well and good.

[Charles]

Does Chiyoda-ku still have those little parks that are designated smoking areas? Oh man, I smoke myself and even I couldn't deal with the stench of concentrated smokers and ashtrays full of burning butts. I can't imagine what it would be like to work in one of the adjacent buildings.