Is Japan a Success Story for Drug Laws?

All japan's drug laws date from either the occupation period or the early mid fifties, and reflect a desire to control drugs through harsh sentencing. In the 19 nineties, many of these laws were revisited, but to increase sentences, not to reduce them. There have been some very consistent anti drug social campaigns in the twentieth century by both the japanese government and n gos that deserve some credit for keeping drug use low.