Photo/Illutration The head of Gifu Prefecture's general affairs department, left, and another official announce disciplinary actions on June 5 against Vice Governor Takanori Kawai and other staff for smoking within the Gifu prefectural government building. (Tomoaki Hosaka)

GIFU--Gifu Prefecture on June 5 announced disciplinary measures against a self-described hard-working vice governor and 18 other staff members for smoking inside the prefectural government building.

Vice Governor Takanori Kawai, 66, was reprimanded for smoking repeatedly inside his office at the building over nearly four years through February 2024.

According to prefectural government officials, Kawai smoked five to eight times a week in his office.

The disciplinary action, based on the Local Autonomy Law, is believed to be the first taken against a vice governor in the central Japan prefecture.

The prefectural government also issued strong warnings to 18 staff members, including 10 employees in managerial positions, for smoking within the government building.

Smoking inside prefectural government buildings is prohibited under the Health Promotion Law and other legislation.

In the prefecture’s investigation into the indoor smoking, Kawai was quoted as saying, “I was too busy working that I wasn’t able to take time to go outside to smoke.”

Kawai has served as vice governor since December 2017.

He was previously head of the prefecture’s crisis management department and chief of the department of commerce, industry and labor.

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