Tokyo gov't seeks stricter smoking ban than national gov't

The Tokyo metropolitan government on Friday unveiled a plan to ban smoking in most bars and restaurants within the capital, stricter than a proposed national ban criticized for its huge loopholes.As the city gears up for Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020, Gov. Yuriko Koike presented a draft ordinance which would ban smoking at all bars and restaurants with employees, regardless of sizes, thereby applying to 84 percent of all such facilities in the capital.Under a bill submitted to the Diet earlier this year by the central government, people at about 55 percent of all restaurants an…READ FULL ARTICLE