Passage of a bill to strengthen legislation combating passive smoking will be postponed until this fall, because the health ministry and ruling Liberal Democratic Party could not work out their differences in time to submit the bill in the current Diet session.
Sources close to the government and ruling parties said June 5 the LDP wanted to allow bars with a floor area as large as 150 sq. meters to be exempt from any indoor smoking ban in the bill, but the ministry wanted to allow exemptions only for bars smaller than 30 sq. meters. (Kyodo)
受動喫煙対策を強化するため政府が成立を目指していた健康増進法改正案は、提出が先送りされる見込みだ。喫煙を認める店の線引きで厚労省と自民党が折り合えなかった。
The Japan Times ST: June 16, 2017