Airlines have launched a nationwide campaign to warn passengers that acts of nuisance are now punishable.
The campaign highlights a revision to the Civil Aeronautics Law that took effect Thursday. The revised law classifies the use of cell phones inside aircraft cabins and smoking in the lavatory as "acts hampering safety."
Passengers refusing to obey orders from the captain to stop such acts will face up to 500,000 yen in fines.
Flight attendants and other airline officials handed out leaflets -- in Japanese and English -- explaining the revision at eight major airports.
At Haneda airport in Tokyo, flight attendants from 12 airlines, including Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, distributed leaflets.