Japan imposes 40% cigarette tax increase

[RobBright 35]

Originally Posted By: grungy-gonads

So it's not a dogbot then?

Don't think so - let me cut her up and find out.

[grungy-gonads 54]

OK please report later.

[grungy-gonads 54]

Keep all the pieces though so you remember how to put it back together. I recommend taking pics for reference.

[soubriquet 0]

Smartarse GG

 

You haven't been to yurrop recently.

 

Hoodies, litter, graffiti, dog shit everywhere.

 

I don't live in the city. Here in hicksville country, dog owners walk their dogs and clear up the shit.

 

You're avoiding the issue. Heavy smoking Japanese population outlive non-smoking western wowsers. Clearly, you are right, and adopting your standards will reduce Japanese life expentency.

[grungy-gonads 54]

I was in England a few months ago.

Last I heard, it was part of Europe.

[RobBright 35]

Nope no computer processors in there - just chips.

[grungy-gonads 54]

[Tubby Beaver 209]

last time I was home dog owners were cleaning up their dog's shit. Very rare to see dog shit on the streets nowadays from what I remember

[pie-eater 207]

You are right TB.

People take their scoops and bags with them for the doggy poos.

It very much seems to be the done thing now and anyone not doing it is frowned on.

My area back home has quite a lot of special doggy poo bins around the place as well and our cleared our regularly.

 

Can't remember the last time I saw doggy poo on a pavement when I am back home.

[bobby12 0]

You guys should go to London, the streets are paved with poop.

[pie-eater 207]

I don't know why I would want to go to London.

[RobBright 35]

Originally Posted By: bobby12

You guys should go to London, the streets are paved with poop.

Funny that. Didn't notice any when I went back in July. Where did you go?

[scouser 4]

Goes to show perhaps that... it's posh up north.

 

[NoFakie 45]

I dunno about dog poo but the bit about smoking is right. It doesn't kill anywhere near as many Japanese as it should according to Western thinking.

 

Its like the French eating all those "fattening" foods and not being fat.

[pickled mushhead 0]

Haven't we agreed though that non smokers generally don't give a crap about the health or otherwise of smokers - they just don't want their smell and smoke in their faces.

[RobBright 35]

Originally Posted By: Mr Wiggles

I dunno about dog poo but the bit about smoking is right. It doesn't kill anywhere near as many Japanese as it should according to Western thinking.

Its like the French eating all those "fattening" foods and not being fat.

To be fair with regards to both cultures - in France, the fattening foods they eat, cheese, chocolate and pastries, are offset by coffee, red wine, and plenty of sea food.

In Japan, plenty of sea food, vegetables and low fat food has given them both an offset against smoking.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

its not as if Japanese people are living long BECAUSE of their smoking habit, its more in-spite of their dirty filthy smoking habit. As Rob says, their diet is the biggest factor there and with the import of nasty, fatty, fast food, western food that is changing too.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Originally Posted By: Tubby Beaver

its not as if Japanese people are living long BECAUSE of their smoking habit, its more in-spite of their dirty filthy smoking habit. As Rob says, their diet is the biggest factor there and with the import of nasty, fatty, fast food, western food that is changing too.

Can I also add the amount of walking and stairs to that list of reasons Japanese have good health.
We are too used to driving to our destination and getting a parking spot pretty much at the door, then taking the escalator/travelator or lift to the 1st floor.
I walked and walked in Japan. And felt good for it.

[Go Native 70]

I think it goes to show though that the evils of smoking are possibly just a little overstated? Balanced with a good diet and lifestyle smoking isn't really all that bad for you at all!!

[Tubby Beaver 209]

but it goes back to the age old crux of the problem.....smoking doesn't just affect the smoker who has chosen to smoke, but also affects the non-smoker, who for whatever reason (be it health or because of the smell etc) has chosen not to smoke. Its the taking away of the non-smokers choice that i have problem with. If people want to smoke, then sure thats up to them but I don't want to smoke with them. So sensible segregation through enclosed smoking rooms etc is fine by me

[Go Native 70]

Doubt anyone has an issue with that TB. Here in Japan though that, as you know, isn't the norm at this stage in many enclosed areas like restaurants and bars. Maybe one day in the distant future but not anytime soon. The whole argument about it being inconsiderate to smoke where people are eating, drinking, etc just doesn't hold up here because it's not considered inconsiderate. It's still a socially acceptable thing to light up in a restaurant or bar. That's the only point I've tried to get across. All the foreign views on smoking aren't going to change the situation here anytime soon.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

Dunno GN, I think change is closer than you think. Like I said before, the Kanagawa government last year said that they were going to bring in legislaton to ban smoking from public places, it hasn't happened yet of course, but the noises are there. The beach this year was also deemed "Smoke-free", again I don't know how they were able to police that and if they were successfull but again the noises against smoking are there and they are getting that little bit louder.

[Error404 0]

Originally Posted By: Go Native

All the foreign views on smoking aren't going to change the situation here anytime soon.

You're right. The Japanese views are.

[RobBright 35]

Originally Posted By: Tubby Beaver

Dunno GN, I think change is closer than you think. Like I said before, the Kanagawa government last year said that they were going to bring in legislaton to ban smoking from public places, it hasn't happened yet of course, but the noises are there. The beach this year was also deemed "Smoke-free", again I don't know how they were able to police that and if they were successfull but again the noises against smoking are there and they are getting that little bit louder.

there a lots of restaurants in kanagawa that are non-smoking now too, in fact they proudly put the sticker on the door too.

[Go Native 70]

Sounds like Kanagawa is being proactive in this. Haven't heard anything like that up this way. I have no problem with banning smoking from public places but still I think if you looked at the percentage of restaurants and bars in this country that are smoke-free it wouldn't even come to a 10th of 1 percent. A long way to go yet I'd say. As I said earlier the main impetus elsewhere to ban smoking in public places has been the risk of litigation. I don't see that happening here anytime soon.