Today's topic is taspo. But I am interested in cigarette as I am a non-smoker. Then, why do I pick up this topic today?
Actually, I've read a enviable article at a blog site. He said a native English speaker who read his blog site offered to correct his English sentences. And he said he had been able to notice his English sentences was not natural, thanks to the native.
I am sure I can not write correct English. I was wondering whether readers who visited here understand what I wanted to say, or not. But I can not write anything if I think over about my English, so I tried not to worry about it.
However, I've really wanted to know how much I make a mistake in English after reading his article today. Then, suddenly a light bulb went off in my head! I know that there are English article with a Japanese translation. So, to notice my fishy English, I read the Japanese translation first, and write the sentence in English without reading the English article, after that I compare that one and original one. How is this idea? It sounds good, doesn't it? I'll try the way.
Trendy Japanese #28:taspo
At one time, someone said Japan is a heaven for smoker. There were some reason for it. The price of one carton of 10 pieces was about 300yen(about $2.8), we could smoke anywhere include an office and a restaurant, and anybody, even children, could buy a cigarette from vending machine all through 24 hours.
Some people used to say that Japan was a smokers' paradise. There were several reasons for that. The price of cigarettes was around 300 yen (about $2.80) for a pack of 10. You could smoke almost anywhere, including in the office or in a restaurant. And anybody─even children─could buy cigarettes from vending machines 24 hours a day.
It is true that the cost has not changed, but the total situation for smoking in Japanese is changing in rapid pace. In 2002, Chiyoda-ward Tokyo started to ban smoking in the part of the ward, and fine people. Since then, no-smoking streets have been expanding, on the other hand, people have been taking it for granted to separate smoking and no-smoking areas in an office and a restaurant.
It's true that the price hasn't changed, but the overall situation around smoking in Japan is rapidly changing. In 2002, Chiyoda ward in Tokyo became the first municipal district to ban and fine people for smoking on some streets within the ward. Non-smoking streets have been expanding since then, while the separation of smoking and non-smoking areas is becoming common in offices and restaurants throughout the country.
And it was no exception in about the 620000 of vending machines which occupied around half of the total cigarette sales in Japan. In 1996, cigarette industry started regulations of sales by vending machines, which rule was to stop the sales from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.. Nowadays, it is almost impossible that we can buy a cigarette at midnight.
And about 620,000 tobacco vending machines, which account for almost a half of the total sales of tobacco in Japan, are no exception. In 1996, the tobacco industry began to regulate selling cigarettes from vending machines, stopping most sales from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Now you can't purchase cigarettes from almost any vending machine late at night.
And now, new IC card named taspo is getting installed. In near future, we will be unable to buy a cigarette from vending machine without own taspo. Because taspo can be used as chargeable electronic money card, it will be useful for people 20-year-old or older who are allowed to smoke in law. And it will be obviously in-convenient for people under 20-year-old. That's why taspo is installed. But the possibility of taspo is not still sure. People said it won't work as long as it is possible to borrow a taspo from someone. Nevertheless taspo might change the culture of cigarette in Japan. We will see...
And now, a new IC card called "taspo" is being introduced. Soon you won't be able to purchase cigarettes from vending machines without your own taspo. A taspo can also be used as a rechargeable electronic money card, so it'll be convenient for people 20 years old or older, who are legally allowed to smoke in Japan. It'll surely be inconvenient for those who are underage, which is why taspo is being introduced. But the effectiveness of taspo is yet unknown─some people say it'll be meaningless as long as people can borrow a taspo from others. Nevertheless, taspo may still change Japan's smoking culture─well, let's see how it goes.
Umm.. I don't mind too much.
Analysing this sentences, I'll try to correct my own tendency.
ALC: Trendy Japanese #28: taspo
