I have seen a big increase in non-smoking places. 10 years ago, basically everywhere was "smoking" but now many chain restaurants have smoking and non-smoking sections, including the bigger McDonald's. There are smaller restaurants that are non-smoking. They are rare, and are going against the grain, but are for real.

Japan is making progress in this area, but still has a long way to go.

Just to clear this up:

Though the USA produces (probably/nearly the most) tobacco, we have a lot more space for smokers (compared to Japan and Europe) and only 30-45% of the population smokes. Not only that, but smoking is prohibited in public areas in some states, so now there is much less smoke to be exposed to here, even though in many areas it never got bad.

I don't have asthma, but smoking irritates my eyes and throat, so I know where you are coming from.

Woah. Less than 1/4 of Americans smoke.

No, maybe you're thinking of teens. I'm pretty sure it's around 35% to 40%. I'll look it up to be sure. :)

EDIT- Yeah, my statistic is outdated. It's only 20% now. Regardless, my point was that smoking is a minority in the US. Thanks for statistic correction. :)

I don't know, Japan is hard to smoke anymore-at least metro.

Just got back from Japan. You cannot smoke in train stations except for certain "smoking corners" at designated times. forget dowtown Yokohama. You will get a ticket for smoking in public, and they have a smoking room on the just outside the train station. Now that was funny, go into a room full of smoke, you don't even need to light up :D

Narita airport -you can only smoke outside in smoking corners. and some restaurants have smoking/non smoking sections.

I hardly saw anyone smoking other than those designated smoking areas. I almost felt guilty.:ywave:

Huh. Doesn't it make it difficult for jrockers, for one, then? There's quite alot who smoke.

True, but the non-smokingn sections are those stupid partitions which let the smoke into the other areas anyway lol

It's like Japanese people think the smoke will obey the rules and not stray into the non-smoking areas :)

i live in louisiana.
idk if this law this everywhere else, but here, you cannot smoke in any restaurant or, i think, bar.
you CAN, however, have a drink or 2 or 4, drive home, and potentially get in a wreck and possibly kill someone and/or yourself.

to me, that is completely ignorant.

sit in non smoking..

most places will have different levels for smokers and non smokers and not just lil dividers.

PLENTY of places to eat in japan. you will find non smoking places.