April marks the beginning of the business year, and for Tokyo-area train stations, a breath of fresher air.
Starting Wednesday, most metropolitan East Japan Railway Co. train stations will go completely smoke free, and platform ashtrays are being removed from 201 JR East stations on 17 lines, including the Yamanote, Chuo, Sobu and Keihin Tohoku lines.
The northern end of the smoking-free zone is Toride Station on the Joban Line in Ibaraki Prefecture, the southern end Zushi on the Yokosuka Line in Kanagawa Prefecture, the western end Takao on the Chuo Line in Tokyo and the eastern end Soga on the Keiyo Line in Chiba Prefecture.