By Juliet Hindell

May 31 is world No Tobacco Day, and to mark the event a Japanese no-smoking group has voted the Japanese prime minister the worst smoker of the year.

Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto can frequently be seen puffing away on cigarettes during cabinet meetings. Attempts to ban smoking in government offices have not found favour with him.

That's why the Tobacco Problems Counselling Centre in Tokyo voted Mr Hashimoto as Japan's worst smoker of the year. Second on the list was a famous pop star and third a film director.

All are being singled out as setting a bad example to the Japanese public.

Japan is still a smokers' paradise. Only recently have some restaurants introduced no-smoking areas and there are vending machines selling cigarettes all over Japanese cities ­ including inside the Health and Welfare ministry.

As part of its recognition of No Tobacco Day, the ministry is closing nine of its 10 cigarette vending machines and banning smoking in its offices.

Not for ever, mind you, but for a symbolic week. Forty-five employees have also volunteered to try and give up smoking.

The Japanese Government has to treat the issue of smoking with care. It still owns a large stake in Japan Tobacco, which produces the most popular cigarettes in Japan.