Tokyo taxis to ban smoking in '08

An association of taxi operators in Tokyo has effectively decided to make its member cabs nonsmoking, association officials said Thursday.

The measure will possibly come into effect in January after official approval is gained at the group's extraordinary board meeting Friday, they said.

Among 436 Tokyo taxi operators, 384 are affiliated with the association, which covers some 36,000 taxi cabs, or more than 90 percent of the total.

The association will seek cooperation from its counterpart for owner-driven taxis, they added. A complete nonsmoking policy has already been introduced in Nagoya and its vicinity as well as in Kanagawa Prefecture.