Japanese lawmakers want to triple cigarette prices

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2008

TOKYO (AFP) — A group of Japanese lawmakers on Friday called for a tripling of cigarette prices to nearly 10 dollars a pack in a bid to cover swelling social security costs.

The proposal would put heavy-smoking Japan in line with other developed countries, which nearly all impose heftier taxes on cigarettes and more tightly restrict public smoking.

The non-partisan parliamentary group headed by senior ruling party member Hidenao Nakagawa called for the price of a pack to rise to up to 1,000 yen (9.6 dollars) from around 300 yen now.

The proposal "aims to safeguard health," Nakagawa said in a written response to AFP.

"I also think Japan's tobacco tax is too cheap compared with the average in the world and in Western countries," he said.

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