Japan: It’s often said that laughter is the best medicine, and research supports this by highlighting its numerous health benefits. These include reducing blood pressure, epinephrine, and glucose levels, as well as improving glucose tolerance. However, in today’s hectic, competitive environment, many people struggle to find time to relax and enjoy a hearty laugh. Residents of Yamagata Prefecture in Japan will soon experience a change with a new law that mandates daily laughter.
The local government in this northern region passed an ordinance last week, urging citizens to laugh at least once each day. The law also encourages business operators to create workplace environments that foster laughter and cheerfulness.
Japanese media reports indicate that the new law, which requires people to laugh daily, is designed to enhance public health. The ordinance, enacted last week, is based on research from Yamagata University’s Faculty of Medicine, which discovered that laughter can lower the risk of heart disease.
The study also referenced other research showing that laughter is associated with increased life enjoyment, positive psychological attitudes, and higher levels of competence, trust, openness, and conscientiousness.
Additionally, the local government has declared the eighth day of each month as a day dedicated to promoting health through laughter. Despite the law’s positive intentions, it has faced criticism, particularly from opponents who argue that the choice to laugh or not laugh is a personal right and should not be mandated. Although laughing at least once a day is now a requirement in Yamagata Prefecture, officials have stated that there will be no penalties for those who do not comply.
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