Japanese Told By Law To Laugh Daily
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12 July 2024
In a one-of-a-kind move, a local government in Japan's Yamagata prefecture has passed a law calling on residents to laugh at least once every day
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The new law aims to promote better physical and mental health, the South China Morning Post reported
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Apart from laughing daily, the law has also designated the eighth day of every month as the day for "residents to promote health through laughter”
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It also asks business operators to "develop a workplace environment that is filled with laughter"
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The new law is a result of ongoing research into laughter at Yamagata University's Faculty of Medicine
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Research at the university has linked laughter to better health and increased longevity
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It determined that "all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease incidence were significantly higher among subjects with a low frequency of laughter”
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It also found a link between laughter and life enjoyment, positive psychological attitudes and elevated levels of competence, trust, openness and conscientiousness
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However, the rule is being opposed by several politicians who say that it adversely affects those who cannot laugh, besides infringing on their constitutional rights
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But the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has clarified that the ordinance does not force people to laugh
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It also said that the new rule has no penalty clause for anyone who is unable to laugh at least once a day
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