OSAKA - From April 1st, a new regulation took effect across Osaka Prefecture requiring all restaurants with a customer seating area larger than 30 square meters to become entirely smoke-free indoors—unless they install a designated smoking room. Establishments violating the rule face fines of up to 50,000 yen, while customers may be fined up to 30,000 yen.
The move comes just 12 days before the start of the Osaka Expo and is seen as part of broader efforts to present a cleaner, healthier image of the city. While government subsidies of up to 3 million yen are available for installing smoking facilities, only 317 of the estimated 4,000 eligible restaurants have applied so far.
Restaurant owners are expressing concern. One owner of a yakitori restaurant near Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station, whose floor area exceeds the threshold, said the change poses a serious threat to business: "We’ve already heard from customers that they’ll stop coming if they can't smoke. It’s not just an inconvenience—this could be a matter of survival."
The restaurant opted not to install a smoking room, citing space limitations. "We can't afford to reduce our seating capacity. It would kill our customer numbers," the owner explained.
Smokers are also reacting with frustration. Some said they would avoid restaurants that don’t allow smoking, even if the food is excellent. "If I can't smoke there, I just won't go," one smoker said. Others described the new restrictions as "painful" or "too strict."
On the other hand, non-smokers have welcomed the change. "It’s great," said one patron. "I worry about secondhand smoke, so this makes it easier to go out to eat." Another added, "I’ve been looking for non-smoking places. This makes a big difference."
In addition to indoor bans, Osaka City has already prohibited smoking on all public streets since January. To accommodate this, the city has increased the number of designated smoking areas from 171 to 350. Still, some argue it's not enough.
Jun Nakamura, an associate professor at Kinki University, noted that indoor smoking bans reflect a global trend and help reduce health risks from secondhand smoke. While understanding the reasoning behind street smoking bans as a matter of urban aesthetics, he emphasized the importance of balance.
"Tobacco is still widely sold, and the tax revenue is significant—about 30 billion yen just in Osaka City. If restrictions are enforced, governments must also ensure there are places for smokers to go," Nakamura said. "We need to find a compromise where both smokers and non-smokers can coexist."
Source: MBS NEWS
