Japan Passes Law Urging Daily Laughter: Why Is It Drawing Flak?

The Japanese Prefecture passed a law that requires citizens to laugh at least once a day. Not only this, but the law designated the eighth of next month as a ''laughing day'' in order to ''promote health through laughter.'' The Yamagata aims to possibly mitigate the negative mental health effects of unreliable employment paired with the rising cost of living scenario. The law encourages ''sniggers, chortles or guffaws'' every day.

Japan Passes Law Urging Daily Laughter

In a recent research study released by Yamagata University's Faculty of Medicine, laughing at least once a day promotes heart health and significantly reduces the risk of heart illness. The study reportedly engaged approximately 17,152 participants aged 40 or younger.

It said, ''All-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease incidence were significantly higher among subjects with a low frequency of laughter.'' It linked frequent laughter to reduced psychological stress, the development of positive life skills, and boosting immunity.

The study did not consider silent laughs, only the ones where you 'laugh out loud'. "Laughter Day'' has been selected as the eighth of August, since the date 8/8 sounds like 'haha' in the Japanese language.

Controversy

The ordinance was passed based on this proposition by the University and received criticism from the opposition parties. These include the Japanese Communist Party, which pointed out that the law may violate the rights of those who may have difficulty laughing due to injury or any illness, according to The Strait Times. 

However, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party member Kaori Ito later cleared up this misconception by clarifying that the law does not force people to laugh and respects the individual's personal decision. There will be no fine or penalty for individuals who are unable to laugh on a certain day, it only promotes well-being and does not force joy.

It was essentially issued to promote healthy and happy workplaces and to encourage businesses to evolve into an ''environment filled with laughter''.

Even though there is nothing fundamentally constricting about the law, a constitutional expert from Kyushu University, Shigeru Minamino, said that this is an issue of personal beliefs and issues to which everyone is entitled and not something to be ordered by a prefectural assembly. ''It's none of your business,'' he said.