Around 200 JR stations in and around Tokyo completely banned smoking from Wednesday, after workers spent all night removing ashtrays from platforms.
According to East Japan Railway Co., the ban was imposed in stations within a radius of up to 50 km from Tokyo Station, including in Chiba, Kanagawa, Saitama and Ibaraki prefectures. The ban covers most stations in Tokyo and some in surrounding prefectures.
But smokers will still be able to use special rooms with ventilators at Tokyo, Ueno, Shinjuku and Omiya stations.
"There is really no place to smoke," said a 25-year-old company worker who used to smoke on station platforms while waiting for trains. "But I have to accept it because it's the trend of the times."
