” I saw a news report on how Japan is now measuring the waists of everyone over 40 “
Untrue .
My sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/world/asia/13fat.html?pagewanted=all
http://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2008/06/04/japan-cracks-down-on-waistlines_print.html
“One regulation, effective in April requires all citizens over the age of 40 to have their waists measured every year. If a man’s waist is more than 33.5 inches or a woman’s more than 35.5 inches, they are considered at risk and referred for counseling and close monitoring. The government is also requiring companies to slim down their workers or face higher payments into the national insurance program.”