A revised government-sponsored bill aimed at banning indoor smoking won't include a size threshold for restaurants, sources close to the matter have said, in an effort to avoid clashing with ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers who are strongly opposed to banning indoor smoking at restaurants.

It instead plans to specify the threshold in an ordinance, a Cabinet order issued to better enforce a law, before the planned revision to the Health Promotion Law takes effect within two years of promulgation. The government intends to have the restaurant matter settled by then, lest it hold up the entire bill.

Although an ordinance needs to be approved by the Cabinet, it does not need to clear the Diet.