Tokyo risks being one of the unhealthiest Olympic Games hosts in years, as an anti-smoking law exposes deep rifts over tobacco tax revenue, personal freedom and the dangers of passive smoking, which kills thousands of Japanese each year.

There is pressure on the Japanese capital ahead of the 2020 Summer Games, including from the International Olympics Committee (IOC), to follow Rio de Janeiro and other recent Olympic venues in banning smoking in all public places to create a healthy sporting environment.

But an initial proposal for a blanket ban on smoking indoors across Japan was opposed by pro-smoking politicians, restaurateurs and Japan Tobacco, which is one-third government-owned and paid the state $700 million (S$977 million) in dividends in 2015.

Read also: Singapore raises minimum legal age for smoking from 18 to 21: 4 other suggestions to deter first puff

The health ministry scaled back its plan, to allow smoking indoors in spaces around 30 square metres (323 square feet) as long as adequate ventilation is installed.

But opponents say this will still hurt Japan’s many eateries, restrict individual freedom, and dent tobacco tax revenues – which topped 2 trillion yen (S$25 billion) in 2014-15.

Natsuko Takami, who runs a Tokyo pub that is small enough to allow smoking under the revised bill, fears losing money as she can’t afford new ventilation, and could be fined 500,000 yen if a customer lit up. The smoker could be fined 300,000 yen. “I think people would stop coming,” she said, adding that being able to smoke and drink helps reserved Japanese open up.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) health committee, whose support is essential to introducing the bill in parliament, won’t meet ministry officials, saying the revised bill is too strict.

The committee chair, Naomi Tokashiki, acknowledges there should be a law that protects against second-hand smoke, but says Japan’s cultural emphasis on good manners and sensitivity to others should suffice. “I believe Japanese people really are considerate of others,” she said. “It’s more important for us to trust people than enact a really repressive law.” Not so, say health authorities, pointing to 15,000 deaths a year from second-hand smoke, mostly women and children. “It’s not a question of manners, we’re looking at the impact on health,” said a ministry official involved in crafting the bill who declined to be named due to the issue’s sensitivity. “We’ve basically allowed people their independence, but the situation hasn’t changed,” he said. “Something more is needed.” It now seems unlikely the law will be put to a vote in the current parliamentary session, which ends on June 18.

Patchwork Laws

Fifty years ago, around half of Japanese smoked. That’s now dropped to 18 per cent, and smoking areas have been dramatically restricted, but smoking laws vary from city to city and, within Tokyo, from ward to ward. Penalties are low and enforcement lax.

A 2003 law “encourages” restaurants and other public areas to separate smoking and non-smoking areas, but there is no penalty for non-compliance. Smoking is still possible on the grounds of schools and hospitals, though not inside, and there is a cigarette vending machine in a health ministry annex.

Japan ranks bottom globally in anti-smoking regulations, as measured by the types of public places entirely smoke-free, according to the World Health Organisation. The revised proposal would raise Japan to the second-lowest of four rungs.

The WHO has teamed up with the IOC to guarantee smoke-free Games venues, though IOC Vice President John Coates has said the body can’t force a ban beyond the venues and the Olympic Village.

Brazil passed a blanket indoor smoking ban before the Rio Olympics in 2016, and bans were in place for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada as well as for the 2012 London Games. In Russia, Sochi had only a limited city ban for the 2014 Winter Olympics, but an extensive national ban was introduced a few months later. Beijing had a limited, temporary ban in 2008, but enforcement was patchy. It passed a tougher ban in 2015, when it hosted the athletics World Championships.

Global Image

The issue could affect Japan’s image as it looks to attract more tourists. Many travellers from Europe and North America are used to smoking being banned indoors. “A recent newspaper described Japan as a ‘paradise for smokers,’ and I’m sure it wouldn’t want that title,” said Douglas Bettcher, WHO’s director for prevention of non-communicable disease. “It’s not a good impression to give … as Japan is preparing and investing so much for the 2020 Summer Olympics.” Many politicians have proposed a temporary smoking ban for the Olympics, says Toshiharu Furukawa, an LDP lawmaker and a doctor who supports an indoor ban, noting some colleagues’concern about a drop in government tax revenues from cigarettes at a time when Japan’s taxpaying population is shrinking. “Tobacco is a very important tax resource,” he said. Some of those lawmakers “are smokers, but some are backed by farming groups that produce tobacco, and some are backed by tobacco companies.” Japan Tobacco spokesman Masahito Shirasu says the company shares concerns about passive smoking, but the health ministry’s proposal is too strict.

The 80,000-strong National Food and Drink Association favours having establishments display stickers showing if they are non-smoking, segregated, or allow smoking – letting customers decide. “Only 18 per cent of people may smoke, but the percentage of smoking customers in smaller restaurants is much higher – nearly half,” said Tetsuro Kojo, head of the association. “We must take care of them.” Public opinion varies. A poll by the liberal Asahi Shimbun newspaper found that 64 per cent supported the revised proposal, while the conservative Sankei Shimbun found only 37 per cent in favour.

Kazuo Hasegawa, a 46-year-old non-smoker diagnosed with lung cancer in 2010, believes pressure related to the Olympics is essential for achieving a ban. “The tobacco issue is something that can’t really be solved in a Japanese manner,” he said. “Without outside pressure, Japan won’t move on this.”

SEOUL – At least six Samsung workers building a $500 million (S$ 698 million) ocean platform for French energy giant Total were killed in a shipyard crane accident, South Korean authorities said Tuesday.

Two cranes collided at the shipyard in the southeastern port of Geoje, causing a 60-metre, 32-tonne crane section to break and crash onto a workers’ rest area below.

Six people were killed and 25 injured in what police described as “chaotic” scenes on Monday.

All those involved were working on the Total project, which was ordered in December 2012 and is destined for its Martin Linge field off Norway.

The shipyard is operated by Samsung Heavy Industries, part of the sprawling Samsung Group, South Korea’s largest conglomerate.

Yonhap news agency quoted a company official as saying it had not had such a big accident for “several years”.

It is the latest blow to the corporate empire, the heir to which is currently on trial for bribery in connection with the scandal that brought down president Park Geun-Hye.

A Samsung Heavy Industries spokesman told AFP the Total project, which was due for delivery by mid-June, “may be delayed a little bit”.

Police said 12 crane drivers were under investigation as they look into potential operational mistakes or violation of safety regulations.

Puritans might slam their service as sleaze but supporters regard it as an essential sex therapy for the critically disabled.

Meet the ‘Hand Angels’, a group of Taiwanese volunteers who provide a sexual service to those who have lost the use of their hands.

The wheelchair-bound founder of this Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) should understand their plight as he was crippled after being struck with polio when he was a baby.

Named ‘Vincent’, the middle-aged man told BBC News that although he was fortunate to have the use of his hands, his own experience made him realise that others do not, and so have no way of satisfying their physical and emotional needs.

That inspired him to set up his group whose website comes with a URL that many might see as tongue-in-cheek, or worse, online prostitution: http://www.handjobtw.org/

But it’s serious business for Vincent and his volunteers who have to undertake six months of planning and meetings before going into a session with a client.

It lasts about 90 minutes “from touching the person to helping them reach orgasm,” Vincent told BBC.

One volunteer responded to critics philosophically: “If they think I’m a sex worker, I’m fine with that.”

chenj@sph.com.sg

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Foreign Minister David Lee said that international news agency Reuters issued “regrets and apologies” over its latest news coverage, which the Presidential Office said had misrepresented President Tsai Ing-wen.

The international news agency published two stories in two days last week, respectively headlined “Taiwan president says phone call with Trump can take place again” and “Trump spurns Taiwan president’s suggestion of another phone call.”

Tsai was quoted as saying “we don’t exclude the opportunity to call President Trump himself, but it depends on the needs of the situation and the US government’s consideration of regional affairs.”

In the latter piece, Reuters reported that the US president said he did not want to create problems for Chinese President Xi Jinping when Beijing appears to be helping efforts to rein in North Korea.

Before a legislative committee on Monday, Lee said that a representative from Reuters’ Asian bureau had said that they “feel embarrassed” over the incident, expressing regret and apologising to a high-level official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

No official statement from Reuters was presented to the media.

The minister refuted accusations that the government was “set up” by foreign media, saying that the ministry had responded to the event in accordance with protocol and that it would be “inspecting (the incident) closely” if MOFA is to be blamed for “misjudging the circumstances.”

Lee added that Reuters’ Asian bureau also said that it was not aware that its Washington bureau had an interview with Trump the day after its with Tsai.

He said that the “Trump spurns Tsai” headline was merely the news agency trying to stimulate click-through rate by creating a sensational headline.

Incident’s Seriousness Exaggerated: Lee

Presidential Office Spokesman Alex Huang said last week that Tsai was “passively responding” to the question which was not on the presubmitted question list.

Tsai’s answer simply underlined the importance of close communications between the two countries, Huang said, adding that the report was inaccurate and had created further confusion.

Lee stated on Monday that the incident “isn’t that serious,” saying that Taiwan’s relationship with the US is still positive. Tsai’s first phone call with Trump happened on Dec. 2 last year, less than a month after his victory in the presidential election, offering her congratulations.

It was the first direct contact between the two countries’ leaders since 1979 when official diplomatic ties were severed.

The incident created skepticism as to whether Trump accepts the “One China” policy which has been the basis of the relationship between the three countries for decades.

Some 900 Singaporean tourists, including people from the blind and visually impaired community, travelled to Batam, Riau Islands, on three ferries and 22 buses to attend the Wonderful Indonesia Music Festival Cross-Border Batam on April 29 at the Sumatra Expo Center Batam.

For an hour, the tourists were entertained by the Indonesian band Wali.

Read also: Seeking some rest and recreation in the hidden corner of Batam

Apart from attending the concert, the tourists also arranged a Qasidah (a genre of Arabic-language poetry) performance in Sekupang district, a marching band performance by 100 school children and made a donation to the local orphanage. All of these activities were funded with their own money.

Riau Islands is known as a maritime tourist destination.

It is among the most-visited places by foreign tourists in Indonesia.

Were they all subservient homebodies while the gallant guys were out defending the new nation?

Did females have no role during the four-year fight from the 1945 Proclamation to the 1949 withdrawal of the Dutch after two failed “police actions” to recover their colony?

The truth is women played a major part, but most historians have overlooked their importance.

“Journalists have not been interested in my story,” said Moeljati, 85, a former member of the Laskar Putri (Women’s Army) in Surakarta, also known as Solo. She is one of five surviving veterans in the Central Java city.

“It seems that everyone has paid attention to the men and ignored us even though hundreds volunteered. We also served.”

She said she was still in school when she heard broadcasts by Bung (brother) Tomo that fired her spirit so much that she was determined to help kick out the Dutch.

“I didn’t hate them as individuals, but I did hate what they were doing to my country,” said Moeljati.

“My main job was to go around shops, farms and houses collecting rice, sugar and other food for the jungle kitchens that supplied the fighters. People gave willingly.”

Bung Tomo (Sutomo) was a revolutionary firebrand known for his emotional oratory on Radio Pemberontakan (Radio Rebellion) though Moeljati recalls it as Radio Tunggal (Radio One and Only).

Veterans’ homes are often shrines to the turbulent years of fighting for independence. But there are no medals on the walls of Moeljati’s house or awards on the cupboard and only a few faded documents and pictures in a file.

One is of her former colleague in the kitchens, Siti Hartinah. In 1947 she married a lieutenant-colonel called Soeharto who later become second president.

Siti, known as Ibu Tien, died in 1996 aged 72. Many Laskar Putri wed soldiers after the war according to Moeljati though she claimed they had little interest in romance while serving.

“I was among the smallest and youngest of the volunteers,” she said. “There was no conflict among us whatever our age, background or religion. I suppose we were also looking for adventure.

“The men treated us with respect. We worked together like members of one family with a clear goal – to defeat the Dutch. Nothing else mattered.”

She said they did not get paid or have proper uniforms – just a red and white arm badge, which they sewed themselves along with shirts and trousers often made from sacking.

“We had parades every day and I was shown how to use rifles and revolvers. I scored top marks for shooting. I never fired at any Dutch soldiers – most were in tanks [probably armored vehicles] and when they came we hid. Would I have tried to kill? Mmm. Maybe.”

Even toward the end of her life as Soeharto’s wife, for the Laskar Putri, there are no bad words for Ibu Tien: “She did not forget us and gave us houses and our children scholarships when she became First Lady,” said Moeljati.

Her friend Suwarti, 87, joined up because she wanted to be in the front line. Instead she was made a reservist and first-aid nurse treating guerrillas returning to hideouts after sorties against Dutch troops.

“We expected our camps to be attacked, but that never happened,” she said. “I also worked filling sandbags for defence. Some women ran messages tucked in their sarongs because the Dutch did not suspect them.

In 1989 a memorial was built in Solo recognising 114 women who served, though the number is believed to be much greater. The monolith needs a makeover; names are dropping off and the surrounds are cracking.

A photo from around 1946 shows women apparently marching with mock weapons, though Moeljati says she remembers an abundance of abandoned Japanese arms available, which they called gun-gun.

The two women said they regretted the revolutionary fire had gone out and that the modern generation seemed not to know the sacrifices made to create the Republic.

After the Dutch abandoned their lost cause, Moeljati became a maths teacher and Suwarti a doctor’s assistant.

Last year a local hotel invited the veterans to a talk show on Kartini Day. They get involved in arisan (women’s social club) and take a lively interest in current affairs.

They were scathing about corruptors – “betrayers of the nation and cowards,” said Suwarti.

Both women stressed that they were just humble individuals who had obeyed a call to service and proud they had done something to help build their country.

“Don’t call us heroes,” said Suwarti, “we’re not dead yet.”

Neglect

While researching for his book Surabaya 1945: Sacred Territory Australian historian Frank Palmos found that British and Dutch commanders could not understand how the revolutionaries got food and water to keep fighting.

“The heroine behind the scenes was a 42-yearold East Javanese woman known throughout Surabaya as Dar Mortir [real name Darijah Soerodikoesoemo],” he said.

“With scores of female helpers she successfully created 51 combat kitchens to support the independence fighters, starting out in a small way by creating her first kitchen during the first major clash against the British-Indian forces between Oct. 27 and 30.

“Bu Mortir’s role in the revolution was forgotten for 30 years until a chance finding of a manuscript she dictated to her nephew in 1972 was discovered in the underground archives of the Tugu Heroes’ Museum in Surabaya […] but left unread, in the vaults until 2015.”

Palmos has translated the 11,000-word text into English with local writer Johannes Nugroho handling Javanese phrases.

Palmos plans to present a copy of Ibu Dar Mortir: Combat Queen to Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini in May.