Change in mortality and years of life lost attributable to tobacco in Japan, 1985 and 1995.

Despite the secular trend of decreasing prevalence of smoking and consumption of tobacco in most industrialized countries, the prevalence of smoking in Japan continues to be one of the highest. Based on the alternative measure of population attributable fractions, the present study gives an estimate of the number of deaths and the years of life lost (YLLs) attributable to tobacco in Japan for both 1985 and 1995. This study shows a considerable increase in mortality from tobacco-related diseases over the decade, in particular from lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a consequence of the intensified exposure to tobacco in the early 1960s. Although the period of the highest exposure to tobacco was in the late 1970s, prevalence of smoking is still considerably high in Japan and the burden from tobacco will persist if proper anti-smoking measures are not implemented immediately.