Debate topics (2)

Last week, discussion on possible debate topics ended up focusing on tobacco. 先週のディベートテーマに関するディスカッションは、最後にはたばこの話題で盛り上がりました。 We may debate one or more of the following aspects of that issue: tax rates, warnings, advertising (or display), government ownership of Japan Tobacco, age from which tobacco may be purchased, enforcement of age restrictions.タバコ関連の切り口については次のものが考えられます：税金、パックに印刷される警告の在り方、広告、政府による日本たばこ産業株式会社（JT）の所有、たばこが買える年齢およびその法律の徹底。

Here are some articles that may be relevant to the discussion: 下に関連のある記事（英文）を紹介しましす。

Tobacco tax hike bid easily snuffed out
This article says that raising the cost of a pack of cigarettes to 1,000 yen, three times the current price, had been proposed.

Japan’s Budget Hits Record as Aso Seeks for Recovery

The government owned 50 percent of Japan Tobacco Inc., the world’s third-largest publicly traded cigarette maker, as of March 31, according to Bloomberg data.

Tokyo train stations to ban smoking

Train stations in the Tokyo area will ban smoking from April 1, in another dent to Japan’s reputation as a smokers’ paradise, the railway company said Friday.

Insufficient Evidence to Justify Restrictions on Retail Displays of Tobacco Products

Responding to the announcement from the UK's Department of Health (DOH) that it is planning to implement a ban on retail displays of tobacco products, Japan Tobacco International (JTI) stated that no evidence has been provided which justifies such measures.