Tokyo's Toshima Ward Plans Fines of Up to 20,000 Yen for Street Smoking
Tokyo's Toshima Ward announced on November 11th plans to impose administrative penalties of up to 20,000 yen for street smoking and littering, extending its smoking ban to heated tobacco products as complaints about public smoking and illegal dumping continue to rise. (News On Japan)
On November 11th, Tokyo's Toshima Ward announced plans to impose administrative penalties of up to 20,000 yen for street smoking and littering, expanding its smoking ban to include heated tobacco products. The ward government cited a surge in complaints about public smoking and illegal dumping, with reports of street smoking and littering increasing by around 1.4 times over the past five years.
Toshima Mayor Miyuki Takagiwa expressed hope that the stronger enforcement measures would deter offenders, following the example set by Shibuya Ward. The proposed revisions would add heated tobacco products to the smoking ban and prohibit illegal disposal of suitcases, both facing administrative penalties of up to 20,000 yen. Enforcement efforts would initially target areas around Ikebukuro and Otsuka Stations, where complaints have been most frequent.
Toshima Ward previously prohibited smoking lit cigarettes on public streets and littering since 2011, but lacked penalties for violations, leading to the decision to replace the existing criminal fine system with spot-administrative penalties. The ward aims to determine the specific penalty amount through regulations, with a maximum limit of 20,000 yen.
A public consultation on the proposed revisions is scheduled for December before the amended ordinance is submitted to the ward assembly in February 2027, with implementation set for April 2027.
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