japan waist - Google News

People who are fighting being overweight don't really need something else to worry about. When I first heard about this from my mother who had watched some TV news about it, I thought "that has to be a joke."

I searched http://news.google.com and found actual references to it. 29 to be specific.

Another Thing Big In Japan: Measuring Waistlines
Wall Street Journal Blogs, NY - Jun 13, 2008
Ultimately, Japan hopes this campaign will help curb its health-care costs, which have been increasing, just like waist sizes. Some people are worried about ...
Is Japan waisting its time? The Age
Japan, Seeking Trim Waists, Measures Millions New York Times
Metabo tightens belts in land of rising tum Scotsman
TheMedGuru - MedIndia
all 29 news articles »

It doesn't surprise me since Japanese weigh and measure their children from the beginning of elementary school until the end of High School in their skivvies in front of their classmates.

The fact is that while the elder generation might have a portion who have large waists which affects their health, the majority of the rest of the population is already obsessed with weight and waist size. There are probably more young girls and ladies with eating disorders in Japan than any other country period. So, is this callous law going to help Japan or serve to hurt it like any law where Federal government invades personal privacy?

Eric Standlee