Japanese politicians have implemented a law telling citizens to laugh once a day to reduce their risk of suffering a heart attack.
The legislation was passed by members of the assembly in the Yamagata prefecture in northern Japan after research by a local university championed the health benefits of having a chuckle.
The rule has been proposed by the Liberal Democratic Party – which holds a majority in the assembly – and states that citizens of Yamagata “will deepen their understanding of the beneficial health effects of laughter and make efforts to shape mental and physical health through means such as laughing once a day”.
However, the law has angered some opponents who insist that the matter of laughter has nothing to do with politicians.
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Toru Seki, an assemblyman for the Japan Communist Party, said: “To laugh or not to laugh is one of the fundamental human rights guaranteed by the constitution regarding freedom of thought and creed as well as an inner freedom.”
