Division of Tobacco Policy Research

Fumihiko Wakao, Itsuro Yoshimi, Tomoyasu Hirano, Masako Kitada, Izumi Sezai, Yumiko Mochizuki-Kobayashi, Yuriko Nishikawa

Introduction

The spread of the tobacco epidemic is a global problem with serious consequences for public health. However, many countries have successfully shown that it is avoidable with effective tobacco control regulations. Thus, to achieve the global standard level of tobacco policies, our missions are research activities and advocacies based on the following four pillars: Monitoring and Evaluation, Development and Research of Practical Programs, Public Education and Information Services, and Promoting Policy and Networking.

Routine and research activities

1.Through the government commissioned projects, we collected information about the implementation status of the WHO FCTC (The World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control) Parties. A member of our division was assigned as a Japanese delegate and attended the 7th Conference of the Parties to the WHO FCTC, held in Delhi, India, on 7-12 November, 2016.

2.We conducted a survey on what kind of warnings were effectable and read regarding health warnings on the tobacco packages. As a result of the survey, we found out that a majority agreed to expand the area of the warning and to add pictorial health warnings, and released the report just before the May 31st, the World's No Tobacco Day.

3.We developed and promoted supervision of the telephone quitline service program that was considered appropriate to Japan's situation. The service was preparing the activities of semi-autonomous scheme-building intended for the workplace by private sectors. In cooperation with business operators, we developed proactive outbound program and added it to the service lineup to encourage smoking cessation for smokers who are at high risk of conditions such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and so on.

4.Through providing information and planning assistance to various societies, non-governmental organizations, and prefectural government departments related to tobacco, etc., we carried out networking and capacity development. This year, we produced a leaflet summarizing the report of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's Study Group on Smoking or Health and distributed printed material to local governments nationwide.