Regulatory

Tobacco Advertisements Voluntarily Curtailed In Japan

TOKYO, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The Tobacco Institute of Japan will extensively limit tobacco advertising and promotion in Japan starting April 1, according to a press release.

"Tobacco brand advertising on TV, radio, cinema, outdoor TV board, and the Internet shall not be conducted," say the new rules. "Distribution of sample tobacco products shall not be conducted on streets. Distribution of sample tobacco products shall be limited to the customers who are buying tobacco products at the tobacco shops and to the smokers at the places such as pubs, restaurants and event sites."

According to a May 1997 survey by Japan Tobacco, Inc., the proportion of adult smokers has dropped to 34.6%, reaching a new low for the second year running. Although the proportion of male smokers dropped 1.4 percentage points to 56.1%, the sixth straight record low annual figure, the proportion of female smokers went up by 0.3 percentage points to 14.5%.

In its white paper for 1997, the Ministry of Health and Welfare for the first time included a section on "the smoking habit." It described the connection between cigarettes and lung cancer. It designated smoking as a health hazard, and also mentioned the risks of passive smoking to nonsmokers.

The Tobacco Business Law states in Article 40, "Those who employ advertisements related to manufactured tobacco must consider the prevention of smoking by minors and the relationship between tobacco consumption and health, and at the same time must work to ensure that their advertisements are not excessive."

Starting April 1, brand-specific commercials will only be permitted in newspapers, magazines, and other printed media. According to a June 1997 ratings survey, the percentage of teenagers who watch TV between 11:00 p.m. and midnight has gone up from single figures to 17.8%.

-Westport Newsroom 203 319 2700

Story by Sandra Katzman