Tracking tobacco consumption in Japan

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Nicolas Christin <nicolasc () gmail com>
Date: March 8, 2008 11:48:23 PM EST
To: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Subject: Tracking tobacco consumption in Japan

Dave,

For IP if you wish...

I do not remember seeing this discussed on the list, but thought it
may be interesting to mention the new initiative from the Japanese
government to prevent underage tobacco consumption in Japan, where you
have to be 20+ to smoke.

The "solution" is to mandate that all smokers use their brand new
government-issued Taspo card
(http://www.taspo.jp/english/taspo/Introduction.html), which is
essentially an RFID card containing the identity and age of the buyer,
as well as a photograph and a unique identification number. All
tobacco vending machines in Japan, which can be found on every street
corner, will require the Taspo card from June 1.

Of course, tracking individual tobacco consumption habits is not one
of the stated objectives of the program.

Now, from a public health standpoint, it is probably a good thing: if
I were a smoker, the privacy implications of the scheme would probably
look dire enough to drive me to quit smoking :-)

I am not sure what will be the situation in the small tobacco shops,
which are quite ubiquitous too. I would guess the government will
mandate use of the Taspo card there as well, and provide Taspo readers
to all shop owners. If not, I am willing to bet a large number of
them, who, at least in Kobe, invariably look like they have been
behind their counters since the Meiji era, will just forgo this
nicety.

Nicolas



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