Average number of smokers in Japan falls below 30 percent

[Captain Japan]

I think this proves that JT's definition of a smoker and the general public's are completely different...
Average number of smokers in Japan falls below 30 percent

The average number of smokers in Japan fell below the 30-percent mark for the first time, according to a poll by Japan Tobacco (JT) in June.

The JT survey covered 10,875 adults across Japan and found 29.4 percent of them were regular smokers.

The decline in the number of smokers marked the ninth straight year the rate has fallen.

"Increased awareness about health issues and tightened smoking regulations have helped the figure drop," a JT official said.

This is pretty good...

The poll found some 46.9 percent of men were smokers, a drop by 1.4 points from last year, while 13.2 percent of women smoked. A lower percentage of women smokers brought the overall average down to 29.4 percent.

[Captain Japan]

88% of new workers don't smoke
Japan Times

Eighty-eight percent of new employees polled are nonsmokers, and 25 percent seek nonsmoking environments when looking for a job, according to a recent survey by a maker of medical supplies.

The Internet survey was carried out by Johnson & Johnson K.K. in April and May and targeted 500 people aged 20 to 25 who joined the workforce this spring.

The survey indicated that 76 percent of them have never smoked and that 12 percent used to smoke but have quit.

The survey found that having a nonsmoking work environment is an "important" factor for 10 percent of the young workers and "quite important" for 15 percent....more...

[maraboutslim]

Give the non-smoking newfaces a few weeks on the "job" and they'll be suckin' 'em down like their sempai.

[james]

the great die-off begun?