Anti-smoking movement

As I shared last month, the 22nd of every month is "No Smoking Day" in Japan. But on top of that monthly anniversary, there are also other anti smoking days in the year. For example, today, and February 18th annually, is Anti-smoking Movement Day 嫌煙運動の日 Kenen Undō no Hi.

This anniversary commemorates an event in Tokyo's Shibuya in 1978. Forty volunteers gathered to establish the group “People Aiming to Establish the Right to Avoid Smoke.” At the time, organized anti‑smoking efforts were still rare in Japan, but this new group introduced the term kenenken, the “right to avoid smoke”, inspired by the idea of nisshōken, the right to sunlight in urban planning. 

Overall, Japan was much later than other countries in implementing nationwide smoking rules, but grassroot movements such as the one outlined above, helped to create awareness and some say influenced the decision to introduce non-smoking carriages on the "Hikari" shinkansen (bullet train).