Recent Japanese prime ministers in the context of milestones in FCTC
| Source: http://www.who.int/tobacco/framework/en/;http://www.japan-zone.com/omnibus/prime_minister.shtml | |
| January 1996–July 1998 | Ryutaro Hashimoto: viewed as pro-tobacco14 |
| May 1998 | Dr Gro-Harlem Brundtland: appointed director general of WHO, FCTC made a priority project |
| October 1999–March 2000 | Two Working Group meetings: WHO Member States drafted the initial FCTC text (chair’s text) for the negotiations.15 |
| April 2000–April 2001 | Yoshiro Mori: appointed a pro-tobacco health minister who annihilated tobacco control efforts14 |
| 12–13 October 2000 | WHO Public Hearing on the proposed FCTC chair’s text |
| 16–21 October 2000 | First Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB1)† |
| April 2001–Present | Junichiro Koizumi: former Minister of Health who supported tobacco control efforts in his ministry |
| 30 April–5 May 2001 | Second Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB2) |
| 22–28 November 2001 | Third Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB3) |
| 18–23 March 2002 | Fourth Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB4) |
| 14–25 October 2002 | Fifth Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB5) |
| 17–28 February 2003 | Sixth Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB6) |
| 23 May 2003 | 56th World Health Assembly unanimously adopted the FCTC |
| 30 June 2003 | The FCTC was opened for signatures |
| 9 March 2004 | Japanese government signed the FCTC |
| 8 June 2004 | Japanese government ratified the FCTC |
| 29 June 2004 | The FCTC closed for signatures with 168 signatories |
| 27 February 2005 | FCTC entered into force and became legally binding for the first 40 countries that ratified the treaty |