Under new guidelines, cigarette manufacturers would be banned from advertising on public transport, as well as at stations and on the street.
The frequency and page allocation of newspaper advertisements would also be restricted. The revisions to the ministry's guidelines will be followed by voluntary regulations by the tobacco industry, probably effective from April 1 or when current bookings end.
Currently, tobacco companies do not advertise on television, radio or the internet "unless it is technically possible to limit those who see the ads to adults", constituting a virtual ban.
According to Dentsu estimates, about US$5 billion was spent by all advertisers on transit and outdoor advertising in 2002, the latest year for which full figures are available. "We think it will be very damaging to the outdoor industry. Many sites that tobacco companies were using were specially made for them and will be difficult to sell to other clients in the short term. The short-term spaces (e.g. hanging posters in transit etc) have always been oversold, but these were already subject to restricted use by tobacco companies," said Andrew Meaden, general manager of MindShare Japan.