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Newshawk: taima.org
Pubdate: Friday, 18 February 2000
Source: Japan Times (Tokyo)
Contact: opinion@japantimes.co.jp
Copyright: © 2000 Japan Times
Website: http://www.japantimes.co.jp
Health Ministry bows to big tobacco
The Health and Welfare Ministry on Thursday gave up a plan to set a target of halving the number of Japanese smokers by 2010 because of opposition from the tobacco industry, ministry sources said.
The decision was made by a ministry panel, which has studied recommendations on the ministry's new 10-year health promotion program, the sources said.
The ministry asked the panel last August to study a plan to halve tobacco consumption and the number of adult smokers in Japan in a decade, as well as to reduce smoking among people under 20.
But objections from the tobacco industry prompted the ministry to propose another plan to the panel last week, which despite calling for methods to help people cut down on or quit smoking, does not include the target of halving the number of smokers.
Japan Times, Tokyo
2000.02.18
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