Laughter the best medicine in Japan: Local govt passes new health law

Explained: Japan's Yamagata prefecture's has introduced a new laughter ordinance aiming to promote better physical and mental health in the community

The local government in Japan’s Yamagata prefecture has introduced an ordinance encouraging residents to laugh at least once daily to promote better physical and mental health, according to a report by South China Morning Post.

Passed by members of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) last Friday, the ordinance aims to foster a happier and healthier community. It also calls on business operators to create a work environment filled with laughter.

Laughter linked to better health

This initiative is based on research from Yamagata University’s Faculty of Medicine, which links laughter to improved health and longevity. A 2020 study published in the Journal of Epidemiology observed 17,152 subjects over the age of 40 and found that low frequency of laughter was associated with higher all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease incidence. Laughter has also been linked to life enjoyment, positive psychological attitudes, and higher levels of competence, trust, openness, and conscientiousness.

 

Implementation of laughter law and penalties

The ordinance designates the eighth day of every month as a day to promote health through laughter. Despite the local authorities clarifying that there will be no penalties for those who fail to laugh daily, the legislation has faced opposition from members of the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ).

Criticism of Japan’s laughter law

Critics and those opposed to the legislation argued that laughter was a part of freedom of expression and associated with one’s fundamental human rights, and therefore should not be enforced by law. Some even pointed out that people may have illnesses or other reasons preventing them from laughing.

Unusual regulations in Japan

This is not the first time that Japan has passed a regulation that may seem unusual to foreigners. Some of Japan’s unique laws include:
 

>Damaging currency is punishable by up to one year in prison.

>Taking out household rubbish on the wrong day can result in fines.

>Making one’s own alcoholic beverages with more than 1 per cent alcohol by volume is illegal. Violators face fines and potential imprisonment.

>Historically, Japan also had an anti-dancing law from 1948, which banned dancing in many nightclubs and bars until it was lifted in 2014 after a long legal battle.

Other rules that while not illegal, but are frowned upon:
 

>Skipping the line is frowned upon and could be seen as an act of violence if done forcefully.

>Tattoos are often associated with the yakuza (Japanese mafia). So many onsens (hot springs) and public pools prohibit entry to those with tattoos.

>Public trash cans are rare due to cultural practices and safety concerns. Carrying trash until finding a proper disposal site is common.
 

Yamagata’s new ordinance, though met with mixed reactions, is part of a broader effort to leverage the health benefits of laughter. The prefecture joins a list of unique and sometimes quirky regulations that characterise Japanese legal culture.