Smoking in Japan
Smoking is legally allowed in Japan but subject to regulatory controls applied on tobacco. Under these regulatory framework, cigarettes are regulated as tobacco products which allows them to be sold through retail outlets, online platforms, and vending machines. Importation of cigarettes for trade is allowed with a license. However, health warnings on packaging are required, the minimum legal age for purchase is 20 years, and there are legal restrictions on smoking in public places. Not all forms of tobacco advertising are banned which indicates a partial advertising control framework. Cigarettes in Japan are taxed at a total rate of 59.90%, including an excise tax rate of 50.81%. Smoking is a public health concern in Japan. In 2024, there were approximately 16.9 million current smokers in the country, corresponding to an adult smoking prevalence of 15.4%. In the same year, smoking prevalence was notably higher among males (24.2%) than among females (7.1%). Smoking current prevalence was reported to be 16.8% in 2022. In 2021, smoking contributed to 142,775 deaths in Japan, including 119,843 deaths among males and 22,932 among females. This indicates that overall, tobacco smoking accounted for 9.93% of all deaths in the country in 2021, representing 16.21% of all male deaths and 3.28% of all female deaths. These figures underscore the ongoing health burden associated with smoking in Japan.
Read articles from Japan
January 08, 2018 by japantimes.co.jp
As people in Japan smoke less, Japan Tobacco’s new CEO looks abroad for growth
Japan Tobacco’s geographic footprint is primarily focused on its home market, Russia, and Europe, with about 70 percent of its sales volume coming from those regions. Terabatake will have to diversify that footprint to find growth — most likely through smaller deals, as opportunities for larger acquisitions are limited following consolidation in the industry.
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