This is John Kennedy with another Postcard from Abroad from the University of Kansas.
Everyone wants to remain happy and healthy in the lead up to
the Olympic Games, and Japan is no exception. In light of the
upcoming 2020 games in Tokyo, the Japanese government has
revised its health promotion laws, banning smoking inside all
eating and drinking establishments. Ahead of this ban, Nagasaki
University has employed a blanket ban across their campus,
starting in August 2019. They have even gone so far as to state
that faculty who smoke will not be hired unless they promise to
‘quit the habit after taking up the post’. With the flurry of
recent measures, we must wonder, will Japan continue to
promote a healthier lifestyle for its citizens, or is this “lights-out
on lighting-up” just a temporary promotion for the Olympic
stage?
With thanks to HOLLIE HALL of the KU Center for East Asian Studies for this text, this is John Kennedy. Wish you were here.
