The Least Useful Guide to Fukuoka

Without telling me, in 2003 the government banned smoking in public places; including department stores, schools, and offices, in order to improve the nation’s health. Although there is no punishment for smoking, since then smoking has been regarded as a kind of anti-social behaviour. And because the city council raised banners like this, smokers tend to feel somewhat awkward. "We hope this town without walking smokers"
"We would like to create a clean city with you"

Funnily enough, however, smoking stands are provided at nearly every block and at where there are tobacco vending machines.

This is a smokers’ heaven. Public smoking lounge provided by Japan Tobacco inc. (JT). Located in the front of JT’s Fukuoka branch building, this open-to-the-public lounge is equipped with not only a state-of-the-art air ventilating system, which doesn't leave any trace of smoke on your hair or clothings, but also chairs and small tables. So if you’d like, you can work while smoking like the good old days. Actually, smoking here is more comfortable than smoking next to public smoking stands where you would have to carefully study strangers’ faces to see if they are annoyed at your smoke (Because it is a violation of a city regulation to annoy someone with your smoke. Does it make sense, by the way? ).

Regarding smoking, one thing puzzles me is the fact that until 1985 JT was a state-owned company. What does this mean? Was then government the same government which now teaches us how bad smoking is? Or did it suddenly decide to look after our health after having had enough revenue by making people addicted to nicotine?