To Ban Smoking or To Separate Smoking - That is the Question in Japan

The Japanese government eyes on inducing 20 million foreign visitors toward the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. Here's an interesting analysis on whether Japan benefits or suffer losses from installing "Smokers' Corner" in eating joints in time for the year of Tokyo Olympics - 2020.

A while ago a poll was taken by JTB Global Marketing & Travel asking 482 foreign visitors to comment on what they prefer to see by way of improving the environment for smokers. On top of the list was precise information on outdoor smoking areas, then additional outdoor smoking areas and, third, exact directions in eating joints on areas for smoking, separated smoking, and where smoking is banned in that order.

On the basis of the findings, an economic analyst Takashi Kadokura has figured out the merits and demerits of either totally banning smoking at all eating joints or requiring all eating joints to install smoking/separate-smoking corners, in Nikkan SPA.

Assuming that 20 million foreigners should visit Japan as targeted and that 21.2% of them (smokers as based on 2010 OECD health data) should stay away from such eating joints, the total loss would aggregate 210 billion yen, says Kadokura.

Alternatively, he assumes that should all such eating joints install facilities to separate smoking (smoking corner, air-cleaner, ventilator, air-conditioner, etc.) for 1 million yen each, overall economic gains would accrue to the tune of 48.6 billion yen. If secondary ripple effects such as the revenues of facilities manufacturers and fatter pays of their employees. etc. are counted in, the overall economic gains should aggregate enough to cancel off the loss of 210 billion and accrue a surplus of 75.3 billion yen, estimates Kadokura.

As afore-mentioned, foreign visitors prefer extra information on separate smoking to having more eating joints ban smoking.

Then, do as they prefer - separate smoking. What else, if it benefits Japan?