A puffer’s paradise? Old habits die hard in smoke-friendly Japan

Japan is known for its healthy diet and impressive life expectancy. But it is also a smoker’s paradise. Although the number of smokers has dropped by a third over the last 20 years, more than 17 million Japanese smoke regularly. They are easy to spot in Tokyo’s bars. The authorities are trying to make more public spaces smoke-free, but it is an up-hill struggle. Old habits die hard. And the government holds a large stake in Japan Tobacco, the world’s third-biggest manufacturer of cigarettes.