Yoroku: North Japan prefecture's 'laughing ordinance' calls for serious reflection

In a dialect spoken in northern Japan including Yamagata Prefecture, "warawara," which normally refers to a scattered state, means to hurry. One might hear, for example, "Warawara iku zo" (Let's hurry up and go).

Last month in Yamagata Prefecture, an ordinance on laughter, or "warai," was proposed by prefectural assembly members and hurriedly passed earlier this month.

The "ordinance on the promotion of laughter for health" aims to achieve healthy lifestyles at home and work through laughter. What may grab one's attention is the role of prefectural residents: The ordinance asks residents to make efforts to improve their health, such as by "laughing once a day." Business operators are also urged to "create workplace environments filled with laughter."

The ordinance, proposed by a Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) faction, was based on research findings that people who laugh more frequently have a lower risk of death. Still, while there are no penalties for violating the laughter ordinance, we must question how appropriate it is to establish an ordinance requiring efforts to laugh, a basic human emotion.

Assembly members were divided in their vote on the ordinance. Hokkaido designates Aug. 8 as "residents' laughter day," based on a play on the word "hahaha" and the number 8 in Japanese (hachi), but this is not in the form or an ordinance.

The LDP Yamagata Prefectural chapter sought public comments on the ordinance when it was being drafted, and a clause was added to respect the will of the individual. However, many people in society are in positions where they can't laugh, even if they want to. There are probably people who serve customers with a half-forced smile. The reported reactions among prefectural residents vary.

The ordinance states that the prefecture's role is to work to build awareness on fostering health through laughter. It is the responsibility of the prefecture and the assembly to focus on measures that encourage residents to laugh naturally. The "laughter ordinance" is no laughing matter.

("Yoroku" is a front-page column in the Mainichi Shimbun.)