Kanagawa Gov. Shigefumi Matsuzawa said Tuesday the prefecture has compiled a basic plan for an ordinance to ban smoking in hotels, restaurants and other public places to prevent passive smoking. The prefecture will aim to compile a draft for the ordinance after seeking opinions and comments from the public and submit it to the prefectural assembly within the current fiscal year through March 2009. It would be the first such local ordinance in Japan. In 2003, the central government introduced a health promotion law that encourages steps to prevent secondhand smoke in public places. Because the plan is expected to spark opposition from operators of restaurants and bars, however, Matsuzawa also indicated that the prefecture might allow the facilities to introduce completely separate smoking rooms. Likely to be subject to the total smoking ban are schools, hospitals, department stores, government buildings, restaurants and bars, as well as pachinko parlors. The prefecture may consider requiring the owners of such facilities to remove ashtrays and warn smokers. It will also consider establishing penalties for violators, including people who smoke at such facilities. Bungaku Watanabe, representative of the nongovernmental Tobacco Problems Information Center, said Kanagawa's plan for a smoking ban in public spaces could end up being just a slogan unless it carries penalties with real teeth, like fines and business suspensions.