To set up a “cigarette room” Why now? December 19, 13:22

"Hokkaido shame"
While the local doctor chairman was rebellious, the LDP group of the Hokkaido Parliament decided to install a smoking room in the new parliament building to be completed next January.
However, the revised Health Promotion Law regulates the ban on smoking in administrative agencies.
The governor is also negative in taxing the installation.
Why is a smoking room in such a situation? Actually, there were “three tricks” to clear the law.
(Yusuke Igarashi)

Decide in just 10 minutes!

On October 4th, the largest parliamentary assembly of the Liberal Democratic Party held in the meeting room of the Hokkaido Parliament.
All 53 affiliated members attended.

The media that we had aside outside heard an amazing decision. It was decided that a smoking room would be set up in the parliamentary waiting room of the new government building to be completed next January. Why this time ...

Only one legislator repelled that it should not be set up.
In just 10 minutes, the conclusion came out. The rooting was already over.

Sumio Fujisawa, who belongs to the Liberal Democratic Party, opposed the establishment to the end. However, it looks back that the outer moat was buried.

“I often oppose, but the people who speak out like this are a minority, and no matter how many times they say it, I can't get their opinions. I'm really embarrassed to come to such a conclusion as a denomination while heading to quit smoking. When I return home, everyone tells me "I'm absolutely against it. Criticism is inevitable."

Toshio Sasaki, the denomination, talks about why he decided to set up.

“A world without cigarettes is ideal, but it is difficult to immediately stop smoking people. Eventually we decided to quit smoking, but at the moment we decided to quit smoking.”

The doctor's association was really angry!

In response to this decision, Chairman Kiyoshi Nagase of the Hokkaido Medical Association, which is also a supporting group of the Liberal Democratic Party, rebounded.
“I ’m a shame in Hokkaido”.

“We were expecting a sensible judgment from the lawmakers who should take the initiative in promoting the health of the citizens, but this result is disappointing and disappointing. This is contrary to the purpose of the Health Promotion Act.

After the decision, the Hokkaido Medical Association carried out a signature activity requesting smoking cessation with the Nursing Association, etc., collecting signatures of over 103,000 people and submitting them to the National Assembly. In addition, citizen groups in Sapporo, the Hokkaido Branch of the Japanese Society for Non-Smoking, and groups of doctors and dentists who promote smoking cessation have expressed opposition.

In the smoking room, “The Liberal People are Collected”! ?

What is the reason that the Liberal Democratic faction decided to set up in a fierce reaction?
The previous Liberal Democratic Party President Sasaki explained:

“The Liberal Democratic Party decided to consolidate.”

The Liberal Democratic Party has a history of intense opposition between members of the parliamentary party over the establishment of candidates for the governor's election held in April. There was also concern that it was not.

In other words, it was a conclusion that prioritized the logic of the organization.

In addition, it was a questionnaire targeting members of the parliament that encouraged the establishment. Of the 49 respondents, 31 out of 60 responded to the opinion in favor of the installation.

Mystery 1 “External Law”

The Dome parliament, together with the Constitutional Democratic Party and the Communist Party group, has decided to not install a smoking room in its own waiting room.

According to the parliamentary secretariat, only the Liberal Democratic Party responded that they would set up a smoking room.
It was difficult to install a smoking room in the public part of the new government building.

Under these circumstances, the Liberal Democratic Party has come up with the idea of ​​installing a smoking room in its waiting room.
In other words, it was a strategy to contain criticism of other denominations by installing it in a place managed by itself, which is an external law.

On the other hand, Secretary-General Hiroshi Hamada of the Constitutional Democratic Party says:

“Our group has decided not to make a smoking space, but I do n’t say to other groups that I do n’t make it. No, but if I don't have a smoking room, I'll be smoking in the Liberal Party smoking space, where I will smoke from now on "

Mystery 2 “Not an administrative organization” = not subject to law

The revised Health Promotion Law, which was partially enforced in July.
It was obliged to completely quit smoking in government agencies such as central ministries and municipalities.

At the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office, all smoking areas on the premises were affixed with a sticker to notify the closure and the entrance was closed.

In Aomori Prefecture, the prefectural office and the parliament building were completely smoke-free.
Under such circumstances, can a smoking room be installed in the new government building?

There was a second trick that was conceived.
“The Legislature is a legislative body, not an administrative body”
The logic was that the legislative “administrative agency” did not include parliament.

Mystery 3 Install without using taxes

Prior to the installation decision, Governor Suzuki in Hokkaido told the chairman of the Diet, “If you think from the perspective of the people of the road, it is difficult to install a smoking room with taxes.”

Is there a way to install smoking rooms in public facilities without using taxes?

The denominations met in secretly with the executives of JT = Japan Tobacco Industry at a hotel in Sapporo.
The JT responded, “Unless it becomes too expensive, we will install a smoking room in the form of donation.”

The third trick is to install without using taxes by receiving donations. The environment for setting up a smoking room was prepared.

The reason for the donation of JT in the back

Mr. Yasushi Oshima of the JT Hokkaido branch emphasizes the reason for applying for the donation.

“We are aiming to create a smoke-splitting society where both smokers and non-smokers can coexist. As the law changes require the prevention of passive smoking, what sort of smoke environment should be prepared in various facilities Or help me with that. "

JT calls these efforts “smoke consulting”.
By the end of last year, it has cooperated in setting up more than 12,500 smoking areas nationwide.

Among them, there are many achievements in local governments and the government offices of the assembly, such as the Tokushima prefectural office and the Iwate prefectural assembly office. However, unlike this case, it was before the revision of the law.

Oshima continues.
“It's not just a special response to the LDP faction of the road assembly, but our normal activity. We will continue to work on the development of a comfortable smoke distribution environment.”

“I do n’t get the understanding of the industry.”

How do experts see these moves?
I asked Professor Kentaro Yamamoto, Faculty of Law, Hokkai Gakuen University.

“The fact that“ the street assembly is not an administrative organization can be established ”is not something that can be understood by the voters in the light of the spirit of the law. It is legally prohibited to receive donations from smoking rooms from JT. It ’s difficult, but it ’s a little unfavorable to make a donation from one company. The tobacco industry has been a long-time supporter of the Liberal Democratic Party and feels some kind of friendship. ”

To be “wound in smoke”

The new government building of the Hokkaido Parliament will be completed in January next year.
Operation is scheduled to start in June.
By then, the Chairman of the Diet will decide whether or not to set up and the road will proceed.

The conclusion of this smoking room establishment that prioritized the logic of the organization by overcoming the opposition of supporters' medical associations and civic groups.
“Whether or not it is installed in the waiting room of the denomination is their own problem, it is not something to be said from outside.”
Such thoughts can be seen through.

The factional executives stress that it is a “provisional measure for aiming to quit smoking in the future”, but is a smoking room actually installed?

A sweet response to the relatives means that the eyes of the citizens can't be wrapped in smoke.
Is it only me who think so?

Keisuke Igarashi, reporter of the political department
Joined in 2012. After working at the Yokohama and Akita stations, he is currently reporting on Hokkaido administration at the Sapporo station.