A Japanese civil servant was penalised for smoking more than 4,500 times at work over the course of 14 years. He faced a $11,000 fine, according to the Straits Times.
The Osaka authorities each handed down the law to the 61-year-old civil officer and two of his coworkers in the finance department. In September 2022, an anonymous tip led the human resources department to discover of the group’s secret tobacco stash. Following the incident, their manager called them and warned them of dire consequences if they were caught smoking again. Even so, the group didn’t stop smoking.
In addition to his disciplinary pay cut, the 61-year-old director-level employee was also asked to repay 1.44 million yen of his income, according to the Straits Times. He was found to have broken the Local Public Service Act’s “duty of devotion.”
The man smoked on the job for 355 hours and 19 minutes, according to the prefectural government.
The smoking regulations in Osaka are among the harshest in the world. In 2008, it enacted a complete ban on smoking in all offices and public areas owned by the government. 2019 saw the end of the smoking ban for government workers.
The penalty has gotten sympathetic responses. Some thought the fine was excessive, claiming that one can waste time by drinking tea, eating snacks, or simply chatting, but those activities shouldn’t be punished, and smoking tobacco shouldn’t be any different. Some claimed that having to leave the premises for a puff would have meant losing more time. Others felt the fine was excessive.
