The smoking incidence among Japanese adults in May, at 21.1 per cent, was 0.6 of a percentage point down on that of May 2011, according to Japan Tobacco Inc‘s Japan Smoking Rate Survey, which has been carried out annually since 1965.

The smoking incidence among adult men fell by 1.0 percentage point to 32.7 per cent, and the smoking incidence among women fell by 0.2 of a percentage point to 10.4 per cent.

Using population figures from the statistics bureau of the ministry of internal affairs and communications, JT calculates that Japan‘s smoking population fell by about 630,000 – from 22.79 million to 22.16 million – between May 2011 and May 2012.

The number of men smokers fell by about 520,000 from 17.02 million to 16.5 million, while the number of women smokers fell by about 110,000 from 5.77 million to 5.66 million.

JT said the decrease in smoking was due to various factors, including the aging of Japan‘s society, the growing awareness about the health risks associated with smoking, the tightening of smoking-related regulations, and the tax and price hike [of October 2010]. ‘JT will continue its efforts to realize a society in which smokers and non-smokers can co-exist in harmony,‘ the company said in announcing the results of its survey.