Japan's Smoking Bans Make a Lot More Sense Than America's
Japan's smoking regulations allow for more flexibility compared to the strict bans in the United States. Small bars and restaurants can choose to permit smoking, catering to customer preferences. However, outdoor smoking is heavily regulated, with designated areas required for smokers.
- ▪In Japan, small restaurants and bars can decide whether to allow smoking, giving customers a choice.
- ▪Approximately 82.4 percent of Americans are covered by smoke-free laws in public places, limiting options for patrons.
- ▪Japan's Health Promotion Act encourages businesses to implement passive smoking prevention measures, allowing exceptions for small venues.
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Travel Japan's Smoking Bans Make a Lot More Sense Than America's Owners of small restaurants and bars can decide whether to allow smoking, and customers can choose for themselves whether to patronize them. Katarina Hall | From the June 2026 issue Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL Add Reason to Google Media Contact & Reprint Requests <img src="https://d2eehagpk5cl65.cloudfront.net/img/c800x450-w800-q80/uploads/2026/04/topicstravel-800x450.jpg" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto" width="1200" height="675" title="A woman smoking a cigarette inside a bar" alt="A woman smoking a cigarette inside a bar | Photo: EyeEm Mobile GmbH/iStock" /> (Photo: EyeEm Mobile GmbH/iStock) Walk into three different bars in Tokyo, and you may have three…
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