Japan indisputably is the top smokers' paradise in the industrial world, as well as in East Asia, where China, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan are tightening restrictions on smoking. In Japan, smoking is allowed in many government and company offices, restaurants and taxis. Some hospitals do not restrict smoking either. Even though merchants voluntarily shut down cigarette vending machines at night, there are no controls on the locations of the machines. No less than 630,000 cigarette vending machines are in operation nationwide.

Of the seven major industrial countries, cigarette prices in relation to local wages are the lowest in Japan, according to data released by the World Health Organization in February. In Tokyo, the price of a standard pack of 20 cigarettes is equivalent to eight minutes of work, compared with 20 minutes in Los Angeles and 40 minutes in London.

The Finance Ministry owns the nation's only cigarette manufacturer. Japan's tobacco-business law is aimed at promoting the "sound development of the tobacco industry." Many lawmakers belong to the tobacco lobby, courting votes from some 300,000 tobacco merchants and 23,000 tobacco farmers by looking after their interests rather than those of consumers.

Winds of change are in the air, though. First, a public-health protection bill now before the Diet would require administrators of schools, hospitals, government offices, restaurants and other public places to take measures to control exposure to tobacco smoke. The bill, however, does not specify whether smoking should be banned, or allowed in designated areas. Restrictions would not be mandatory; they would be goals to strive for.

Second, lawmakers of both Houses last month established an interparty group to promote a smoking ban. Upper House member Yoko Komiyama of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan has been among the chief sponsors of the drive. Lower House Speaker Tamisuke Watanuki and former Health and Welfare Minister Yuji Tsushima, both of the governing Liberal Democratic Party, serve as the group's leader and deputy leader, respectively. The group now consists of 81 members, including 68 founding members, and is likely to have considerable political influence.

In 1978, several lawmakers established a group to protect nonsmokers' rights, but it was too small to have political clout and ended its activities without any major achievements.

Smoking controls in Japan have depended mostly on voluntary industry restraints and government guidelines. As a result, Japan has lagged behind other countries in putting smoking restrictions into effect. The inauguration of the new antismoking lawmakers' group should be the starting point for legislative action.

Japanese airlines have demanded legislative action enabling them to deal with in-flight smoking as a form of disorderly passenger conduct. The airlines in 1999 banned smoking on international flights but are having trouble stopping smoking in restrooms. Some passengers ignore nonsmoking signs, claiming the restrictions have no legal basis. Smoking and intoxication top the list of behavioral problems with airline passengers.

Other forms of disorderly conduct that airlines hope lawmakers will target include verbal abuse, intimidation and use of electronic equipment. The United States, Britain, Canada and Australia already have laws to control such conduct.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization is gearing up to adopt the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control at its general meeting in May 2003. The convention will require participating countries to coordinate action regarding tobacco advertisements, vending machines, tobacco taxes and health warnings.

The Japanese government, which plans to join the convention, wants the convention to reflect all participating nations' social, economic and cultural circumstances. But the convention will lose its teeth if it does so. The Japanese antismoking lawmakers' group should urge the government and the political world not to yield to protobacco pressure.

The smoking controversy reminds me of past health-related negligence by the government. Grave policy mistakes by the former Health and Welfare Ministry allowed the use of unheated blood products, leading to the infection of hemophiliacs with AIDS. Later, the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry failed to prevent the breakout of mad cow disease in Japan.

Regarding the health problems related to tobacco, the Finance Ministry, which is responsible for tobacco taxes and the health warnings on cigarette packages and vending machines, is clearly negligent. For overlooking this negligence, the Heath, Labor and Welfare Ministry is also culpable.

Now is the time for the Diet to take the initiative on antismoking measures, as quick, random action in response to the implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control will only invite confusion. The most effective measure for the immediate future will be to raise the tobacco tax.

Last year some lawmakers called for a hike in the tobacco tax in the government budget, citing revenue shortfalls, but the idea was quashed when the tobacco lobby objected. In a recent session of the Upper House Finance and Banking Committee, Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa proposed raising the tobacco tax in fiscal 2003 to make up for a revenue shortfall. A tobacco-tax hike for that purpose only is not convincing.

The health ministry should join the Finance Ministry in a campaign to curb cigarette consumption and protect public health.