Fujitaka readies age-verifying cigarette machines for Japanese launch

Recall those age-verifying cigarette machines we mentioned last year? Even if not, Fujitaka is getting set to remind everyone in Japan under the age of 20 that they won't be getting their fix unless they've got the face (or ID) to prove it. Reportedly, the outfit is hoping to launch 10,000 or so units -- which range in price between ¥700,000 ($6,070) to ¥900,000 ($7,805) -- within the next year, and each one will feature a camera / face-recognition software in order to determine if the hopeful purchaser is indeed of age. After the "adult recognition" button is pressed, it snaps a photo of the customer-to-be and analyzes certain features to make its judgment, and if it just can't decide one way or another, it'll require a license to be inserted as proof of age. 'Course, one could always enlist the assistance of a nearby 20-something in order to satisfy their urge, but at least this is a step in the right direction to curb underage puffing. [Warning: Read link requires subscription]

[Via Textually]

[Curtis McHenry @ Nov 3rd 2007 2:30PM]

Dang you technology.

[Wesburl @ Nov 3rd 2007 2:57PM]

What would it do if you mooned it??

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[allaina @ Nov 3rd 2007 2:32PM]

wonder if a fake mustache would trick it?

[Derry Quinn @ Nov 3rd 2007 2:35PM]

or you could hold a printed page infront of your face, but still, smoking sucks

[Grant @ Nov 3rd 2007 10:27PM]

i was just thinking the same thing. Any old picture from the internet would probably fool the thing.

[o29 @ Nov 3rd 2007 2:47PM]

It would be interesting, if nothing else, just to see where it ranks you.

[Eric @ Nov 3rd 2007 2:56PM]

But no age verification to buy used underwear.

[Ethan @ Nov 3rd 2007 3:04PM]

Doesn't damage your health, only your dignity and self-respect.

[derX @ Nov 3rd 2007 2:58PM]

Once again, an attempt to use high technology for law enforcement can easily be circumvented by some good ol' common sense, as the article says: Just get some old shmuck willing to purchase cigarettes for a minor.

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They are really on a roll, here. First, the Coke Machine disguise to protect you from those oh so ubiquitous Japanese purse snatchers to the this. My, oh my, what will they think of next?

[toronado455 @ Nov 3rd 2007 3:01PM]

Bring your latex mask.

[Will @ Nov 3rd 2007 3:07PM]

Ok, I don't really have anything to say about that machine, I am pretty sure it will end up asking for an ID more times than not. I only wanted to comment because it reminded me that I was ID'd for smokes two months ago and I am 38 years old...it was an awesome day.

[joey @ Nov 3rd 2007 5:39PM]

Please, don't flatter you're self..JK, thats pretty cool I wanna be like you.

[Hagbard Celine @ Nov 3rd 2007 3:24PM]

I hope this doesn't sound bad, but Asians are probably the hardest people to judge age based on looks.

[_v3ndetta_ @ Nov 3rd 2007 4:39PM]

To us they are. I was in Boston with a Japanese business contact of my uncle's and he could pick out different ages, different Asians from different Asian countries, and basically every other way to classify a person.

[Randomness @ Nov 3rd 2007 3:53PM]

Why even bother using something so complicated and error prone as recognizing age from a person's face? Just have it ask you to swipe your ID, simple.

[Robert @ Nov 3rd 2007 4:36PM]

Well, we have something similar in Germany, you need your debit card to buy them, so it won't give them to you if your not 18! But again there's always somebody who can buy them for you! Btw: I am not smoking!

[Lukino @ Nov 3rd 2007 4:52PM]

Here in Italy automatic cigarette machines already ask for ID to check age before selling.

[Freiheit @ Nov 3rd 2007 4:57PM]

http://images.google.com/images?client=opera&rls=en&q=old+japanese&sourceid=opera&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi

Nuff said. Crazy Japs.

[jman315 @ Nov 3rd 2007 5:03PM]

why doesnt the machine just cut you in half and count the rings?

[John @ Nov 3rd 2007 5:52PM]

It would take some sort of genius to count those rings!

[allaina @ Nov 3rd 2007 10:07PM]

thank you so much for this one. just.. thanks. seriously.

[klew @ Nov 3rd 2007 6:16PM]

But see, smoking already ages your skin, so young smokers would look older, and be able to buy anyway.

[John Sinshack @ Nov 4th 2007 12:56AM]

somewhere, half way across the planet, somebody got fired for not realizing that

[Apoco-Lips @ Nov 3rd 2007 9:27PM]

I came across these in Japan as early as 2001 (not the photo-age-recognition, just ID-based)...
I was renting a movie with a friends brother in Saitama outside Tokyo & he was surprised to come across this new feature on the machine next to the local 'blockbuster', so he shrugged and walked a few metres down the road to another mahcine without the system and got himself some cancer sticks ^_^

in other news the age of majority in Japan is being considered for change from 20 to 18:
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20071102p2a00m0na001000c.html

[mark @ Nov 4th 2007 4:47AM]

But it is already well documented that the preponderance of kids who go from "social smoking" to a 1-2 pack a day addiction have some level of brain chemical imbalance-rooted depression.

Certain anti-depressants that mimic the effect of Nicotine remove the urge to smoke - without resorting to nicotine patches - with the added side effect of reducing or curing the depression.

[pscs @ Nov 10th 2007 7:07AM]

you can also get someone's ID and insert it into the machine.
otherwise get a full-sized picture of an adult and just place it in front of your face. or some old-age make up should also do.

it's also worth mentioning that if you are not a japanese citizen then you've got a problem... no ID.

There's also another great option, it's called don't smoke.