In November 2024, Quit Like Sweden, together with Institute for New Era Strategy (INES) Japan, brought together national and international public health experts at an event in Tokyo, who said Japan could save millions of lives if it embraces innovative and proven tobacco harm reduction measures.
The event featured a series of discussions with harm reduction and public health experts, including Dr. Fredrik Nystrom, Professor Marewa Glover, Professor David Sweanor, Professor Kazumasa Oguro, Dr. Kenji Shibuya and Dr. Hiroya Kumamaru.
Professor Kazumasa Oguro, an expert in social security and fiscal policy, said: "Regulations on tobacco products in Japan differ significantly from those in countries like Sweden, and there are limited alternatives and policy incentives available for smokers who wish to quit and their families. As a member of the INES Harm Reduction Study Group, I hope to see further discussions on harm reduction expand in Japan as well."
Professor David Sweanor, an international public health expert who focuses much of his tobacco and nicotine related efforts on risk reduction strategies, said: "Japan has been a success story in reducing smoking rates since 2015 by more than 50% when it introduced heated tobacco products as an alternative to smokers."
Japan can now successfully learn from the Swedish experience, because the evidence from Sweden is compelling, and the need for action is urgent. To achieve this, Japan must adopt policies that make all alternatives to smoking accessible, acceptable, and affordable to people who smoke. Smokers are often discriminated against for their addiction, however like all other members of our society, they also deserve the right to healthier choices.
In Sweden, while one in four adults in use nicotine daily—a rate comparable to the rest of Europe—the country experiences significantly better health outcomes.
Ms Castro said: "Sweden's success in reducing smoking rates is unparalleled. In Sweden, the cancer incidence is 41% lower than the European average, and smoking-related deaths are less than half of those in 24 of the other 26 EU countries. This stark contrast underscores the effectiveness of Sweden's strategies in mitigating the health impacts associated with nicotine use."
"We have the ability to save millions of lives in Japan, and millions more around the world, just by replicating a model that has already worked so well for Sweden," Ms Castro said. "And there's no better time to start that conversation than now."
Event Highlights
Speakers
Suely Castro
Director, Quit Like Sweden
A long standing harm-reduction advocate who has spent nearly two decades assessing global Tobacco Control efforts, and promoting accessible, acceptable, and affordable alternative nicotine products, inspired by the Swedish experience.
Prof. Marewa Glover
Founding Director, CREISS
Public-health professor and 32-year tobacco-control researcher; 2019 New Zealander of the Year finalist; founding director, Centre of Research Excellence - Indigenous Sovereignty & Smoking; former Tobacco Section Editor, Harm Reduction Journal.
Dr. Fredrik H. Nystrom
Professor of Internal Medicine, Linköping University
Professor of Internal Medicine; Head of Internal, Endocrinology & Pulmonary Medicine, Linköping University (tenured 2002); leads trials on metabolic disease and nicotine/snus; frequent media voice and author.
David Sweanor
Chair, Advisory Board, Centre for Health Law, Policy & Ethics
Chair of the Advisory Board, Centre for Health Law, Policy & Ethics, University of Ottawa; Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa; Global Leadership Council, Boston University School of Public Health; Legal Counsel, Non-Smokers' Rights Association, 1983-2005.
Professor Kazumasa Oguro
Professor, Faculty of Economics, Hosei University
Professor, Faculty of Economics, Hosei University, specializing in Public Economics. A former official at the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and Associate Professor at Hitotsubashi University. He is a member of the Social Security Council and serves as an Advisor to the "Japan Vision - Health Care 2035."
Dr. Hiroya Kumamaru
Vice Director, AOI International Hospital
Cardiovascular Surgeon and Vice Director of AOI International Hospital. A graduate of Keio University, he has extensive experience in the US and Europe, and previously served as Senior Medical Director at Pfizer Japan. His current work focuses on preventive medicine, including tobacco harm reduction.
Dr. Kenji Shibuya
Director, Soma COVID Vaccination Medical Center
Director of the Soma COVID Vaccination Medical Center. He previously held roles as Professor at King's College London and the University of Tokyo, and served as a Coordinator at the World Health Organization (WHO). He advised the WHO Director-General and spearheaded Japan's global health policy strategy at the G8 and G7 Summits.
Ichiro Umeda
Former President, Pfizer Japan Inc.
MBA graduate from Keio Business School. He spent his career at Pfizer Japan Inc., advancing from Medical Representative to President (2009–2018). After retirement, he took the position of Chairman at the Institute of New Era Strategy.
Toshihiko Takeda
Policy Counselor, Cabinet Secretariat
Policy Counselor, Office of Health and Medical Care Strategy, Cabinet Secretariat. A former Director General of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's (MHLW) Health Policy Bureau, he served in various key MHLW posts, including Director-General for General Policy Planning and Evaluation.