The municipality of Osaka, Japan, has announced a ban on smoking in public streets, as part of efforts to create a more comfortable environment for visitors ahead of the international exhibition "Expo 2025" this year. About 160 countries and regions will participate in this event, which occurs once every five years in different locations around the world.
The head of the local administration, Hideyuki Yuyama, stated at the beginning of the month: "The international exhibition 'Expo' will start in April, and we want to welcome a multitude of people from various corners of the world. Therefore, we want to make Osaka a place where people feel safe on the streets without smoking." Local laws already prohibit smoking during walks in most places in Japan, but some legislative resistance has hindered the adoption of strict national laws.
Starting April of this year, a broad area in Osaka will ban smoking in restaurants where there are outdoor seating areas larger than 30 square meters.
