Osaka to ban smoking on public streets from Jan. 2025

Smoking on all public streets in Osaka will be banned starting Jan. 27, 2025.

This was announced by Osaka mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama said Nov. 12.

Yokoyama also announced that the local government in Osaka will provide at least 140 public smoking spaces by Jan. 27.

A total of 120 of these will be new public smoking spaces and 20 will be refurbished.

The city will also provide subsidies to encourage private companies to build smoking spaces.

“We are scheduled to secure approximately 200 smoking spaces, including 140 that we have newly installed or renovated, and those provided for free by private institutions,” Yokoyama said on Nov. 12.

Smoking in public spaces in Osaka has been banned in selected areas since 2007.

The city imposes a 1,000 yen (S$8.61) fine on those who violate the ban.

This latest expansion of the smoking ban across the city comes just before Osaka is due to host the World Expo in April 2025.

It is also fitting as the World Expo theme next year, "Designing Future Society for Our Lives", includes sub-themes on healthy lifestyles and the extension of lifespans.

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