In the nation's first such ruling, the Tokyo District Court on Monday awarded 50,000 yen in damages to a municipal employee who was a victim of passive smoking in the workplace.
The government of Edogawa Ward in Tokyo failed to take sufficient safety precautions for 36-year-old Masahiro Kawamura, who had demanded around 300,000 yen in damages, the court said.
Presiding Judge Akio Doi said, "The ward government, which oversees workplace facilities, has an obligation to see to it that protection is provided for the life and health of the plaintiff from passive smoking."