Experts Urge Japan to Use Pictorial Warnings on Tobacco Packages

Tokyo, May 31 (Jiji Press)–With Sunday marking World No Tobacco Day designated by the World Health Organization, experts urge Japan to introduce pictorial warnings about the dangers of smoking on tobacco packages. Many countries require cigarette packages to display images warning of health hazards related to smoking, such as a blackened lung. But there is no such requirement in Japan. A survey by a team at Japan’s health ministry has found that warning labels featuring images are more effective in discouraging smoking than text-only warnings. The online survey, conducted in 2020 for 2,372 smokers in their teens to 70s, asked about their impressions of two types of text-only warning labels with different display sizes and three types of warnings with images, such as a dirty lung and an infant suffering from secondhand smoke, in addition to texts. Only some 4 pct of respondents said the text-only warnings are “very effective” or “considerably effective” in discouraging smoking. By contrast, the proportion stood at 13.7 pct to 20.1 pct for the warnings containing images. According to a report released by the Canadian Cancer Society in October last year, 140 countries and regions require tobacco packages to display warnings featuring images. In Canada and Australia, such a warning must be placed on each cigarette. In Japan, the display area for warning texts on tobacco packages was expanded to 50 pct or more from 30 pct or more in April 2020. But the country stopped short of making the use of images mandatory. At a meeting of a Finance Ministry council in 2018, members shared the view that while images are expected to have a certain visual effect, consideration should be given so as not to cause an excessive feeling of discomfort. They also agreed that whether to introduce images for warning labels on tobacco packages is a matter requiring further discussions. Kota Katanoda of the National Cancer Center, who was a member of the health ministry team that conducted the online survey, said that warning labels are “intended to send the message that smoking is socially unacceptable.” “From a public health point of view, it is important to reduce the number of new smokers as much as possible by introducing labels featuring images,” he said. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]