KYODO NEWS - Dec 25, 2019 - 21:06 | Sports, News, All, Japan

Japan Sport Olympic Square, one of the major administrative hubs for the 2020 Tokyo Games, will become completely smoke-free from next year, the Japanese Olympic Committee said Wednesday.

The JOC and Japan Sports Association -- which share the site with several other sporting bodies -- said the smoking room will be removed from the building on April 1.

According to the two organizations, the move is aimed at "preventing health damage from passive smoking and establishing a healthy working environment," while also improving the image of Japan's sporting bodies.

While smoking areas are a feature of many facilities used by the public in Japan, competition venues at the Tokyo Games will be completely smoke-free.

A new law targeting smoking took effect in Japan in July, banning people from lighting up indoors on government agency, school and hospital premises, with more establishments like bars and restaurants to face similar rule changes next year.

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