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A sanctuary in a hostile land. That's what Tokyo smokers got when Japan Tobacco Inc. rolled out a trailer that was remodeled for use as a free-smoking space.
Dubbed the SmoCar, the trailer is parked in a space in front of a big office building in Tokyo's central Chiyoda ward.
Smoking on the street was banned in the busy parts of the ward since last October, and a system of fines -- up to 0 for multiple offences -- began in November.
"I smoke pretty heavily so having this kind of space makes me happy," said 28-year-old Hirokazu Sato, who stopped by to take a puff inside the new smokers' paradise.
The 27-foot-long silver trailer does not come with any seats, but has counters equipped with ashtrays and room enough for around 20 smokers to puff away to their heart's content.
If the trailer gains popularity Japan Tobacco may introduce more of them, a JT official said.
Smokers welcomed the idea.
"It would become even easier to use if there were more of them and if they were placed near the train station," Sato said.
(Agencies)
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一片不友好的土地上終于有了一座避難所。這正是東京的煙民們所經(jīng)歷的，因?yàn)槿毡緹煵莨就瞥隽艘环N由拖車改裝而成的自由吸煙室。
這輛名為"SomCar"的流動(dòng)吸煙車就停在東京中心千代的一幢大型寫字樓前的空地上。
去年10月以來，在這個(gè)區(qū)的繁華地帶開始禁止吸煙。從11月開始，有關(guān)部門還出臺(tái)了罰款措施，對(duì)屢教不改者罰款金額達(dá)170美元。
28歲的宏一佐都正準(zhǔn)備走進(jìn)這煙民的天堂抽上幾口過過癮，他說："我的煙癮很重，這樣的流動(dòng)吸煙室讓我感覺好多了。"
這輛銀色的拖車長27英尺，里面不設(shè)座位，取而代之的是安裝了煙灰缸的柜臺(tái)，可以容納20個(gè)人左右。他們可以在這里盡情地吞云吐霧。
日本煙草公司的一位官員說，如果這樣的拖車受歡迎，他們將推出更多的同類產(chǎn)品。
癮君子們對(duì)此自然是舉雙手贊成。
佐都說："如果有更多這種吸煙車，并且能夠設(shè)在火車站附近，用起來就更方便了。"
（中國日?qǐng)?bào)網(wǎng)站譯）
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Updated: 2003-01-27 01:00
