Market & legal data on the tobacco alternative sector in Japan

Global Trends report reveals extent of alternatives' growing market share

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 12th January 2022

Alternative tobacco products, including heated tobacco and nicotine pouches, have taken worldwide sales from combustibles over the past three years, with the cigarette segment declining by 5% ...

2021 in review: As smoking declines, tobacco alternatives take up the slack

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 10th January 2022

2021 may have been a downer in many other areas but the year saw phenomenal growth across tobacco alternatives, including in the oral segment, heated tobacco and nicotine pouches ...

Main players keep up the heat as HnB continues its strong growth in Japan

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 15th December 2021

Japan’s heated tobacco sector is continuing to grow strongly and to take market share from traditional cigarettes, with the main players releasing new devices and revamping their heat-not-burn (HnB) divisions ...

JTI to focus energy on the 'encouraging' performance of Ploom X in Japan

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 2nd November 2021

Japan Tobacco International (JTI) has posted positive figures for the first nine months of the year, with a good performance from its reduced-risk products in its domestic market ...

PMI’s heated tobacco business on the up despite warnings of disruption in US

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 20th October 2021

Philip Morris International (PMI)’s net revenues were up by 9.1% in the third quarter of 2021 thanks to the growth of its heated tobacco segment ...

Patents for HnB and smokeless tobacco products on the rise, research finds

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 18th October 2021

Patents for tobacco alternatives have been booming in recent times as tobacco companies position themselves as contributors to a smoke-free world ...

PMI launches Iqos Iluma in Japan, with new induction-heating technology

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 17th August 2021

Philip Morris International (PMI) has launched Iqos Iluma in Japan today as part of the company’s plan to achieve a smoke-free future ...

JT sees positive numbers amid 'momentum' of its HnB portfolio

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 30th July 2021

JTI posted positive numbers in the first half of the year, with good performance from its reduced-risk products and improvement in its full-year guidance after the launch of Ploom X ...

PMI raises its sights for 2021 as Europe leads the rush towards heated tobacco

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 20th July 2021

Philip Morris International (PMI)’s net revenues were up by 10% in the first half of 2021, with smoke-free products accounting for 28.5% of the total ...

Japanese health ministry denies plan to widen access to tobacco-free pouches

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 14th July 2021

Regulations governing nicotine pouches in Japan are unlikely to change in the near future despite rumours to the contrary ...

The Japanese innovation that could help normalise heated tobacco everywhere

Written by Barnaby Page | 1st July 2021

A new development in Japan sets an example which proponents of harm reduction could do well to advocate elsewhere – the increasing trend toward heated-tobacco-only areas in public spaces ...

From the ski slopes to the karaoke bar, Japan goes smoke-free with HnB

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 28th June 2021

A growing number of leisure facilities in Japan are going smoke-free by allowing only heated tobacco products to be used, or establishing dedicated areas for them, in response to stricter rules on indoor smoking ...

Imperial expresses new optimism on upcoming heated tobacco market trials

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 30th March 2021

Imperial Brands has announced that it expects to deliver its yearly objectives for 2021 and expressed optimism about the performance of its heated tobacco device Pulze ...

JT looks to new heat-not-burn device to counter falling overall tobacco sales

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 9th February 2021

Japan Tobacco is set to launch a new heated tobacco device by the second half of the year, despite falling revenues in its home market, in a bid to strengthen its reduced-risk portfolio ...

JTI prepares to increase prices of HnB consumables as company revenues drop

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 10th August 2020

Japan Tobacco International (JTI) is to increase the price of some of its heated tobacco consumables in Japan from 1st October ...

Japan hits Philip Morris with record $5.1m fine for misleading Iqos ads

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 7th July 2020

The Japanese Consumer Affairs Agency has imposed a fine of JPY552m ($5.1m) on Philip Morris Japan (PMJ) for misleading advertising of Iqos when discounts were extended beyond the allotted date ...

BAT predicts 7% shrinkage of HnB, pushes back next-gen revenue goal

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 10th June 2020

British American Tobacco (BAT) is pushing back to 2025 its goal of £5bn in revenues from its next-generation portfolio amid the COVID-19 pandemic and a decrease in heat-not-burn (HnB) business ...

Price war in Japan as JT battles against IQOS dominance of the HnB market

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 3rd June 2020

Japan Tobacco (JT) and Philip Morris International (PMI) are cutting the prices of their heat-not-burn (HnB) devices in Japan and planning new product launches amid the coronavirus pandemic ...

Altria expects a hit from COVID-19, BAT set for heated tobacco decline

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 30th April 2020

Big Tobacco manufacturers are expecting the effects of COVID-19 to hit hard in the second half of the year, despite a strong performance in the first quarter ...

BAT reports 273% revenue increase in a year for its modern oral portfolio

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 28th February 2020

British American Tobacco (BAT)'s "modern oral" portfolio has been one of the main drivers helping the company achieve good results in 2019 for its next-generation products category, which overall increased globally by 36.9% ...

PMI is cleared of misleading investors over Japanese prospects for Iqos

Written by Barnaby Page | 17th February 2020

Philip Morris International (PMI) did not deliberately mislead investors about clinical trials for its Iqos heated tobacco system or about the product’s prospects in Japan, a US federal court has ruled ...

JT to slash prices of Ploom Tech devices in bid to capture Japanese market

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 29th January 2020

Japan Tobacco (JT) is cutting the price of its Ploom Tech and Ploom Tech+ hybrid devices from 1st February as it continues to lag behind its chief Big Tobacco competitors in its home market ...

JTI lowers its 2019 forecast as Japanese Ploom Tech sales fall

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 31st October 2019

Falling sales of Japan Tobacco’s heated tobacco device Ploom Tech have hit the company’s total revenue from reduced risk products, which fell by JPY7.1bn ($65.7m) to JPY17.8bn ($164.6m) in Q3...

Big Tobacco job cuts highlight growing pressure on combustibles business

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 19th September 2019

A wave of workforce cuts by major companies such as British American Tobacco (BAT) and Japan Tobacco International (JTI) may be just the tip of the iceberg for Big Tobacco ...

BAT launches hybrid pod in Korea amid rumours of new tax scheme

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 14th August 2019

British American Tobacco (BAT) has launched Glo Sens in Korea, a new hybrid pod product which combines vaping technology with real tobacco ...

BAT looking forward to substantial growth in next-generation volumes

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 13th June 2019

British American Tobacco (BAT) is expecting its next-generation portfolio, including vaping and heated tobacco products, to grow between 30-50% in 2019 ...

Japan remains premier test market for new HnB devices

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 30th May 2019

Japan continues to be the leading test market for heated tobacco products, with two new devices recently launched – including the world’s first device which works with ordinary cigarettes ...

Japan sets aside designated HnB and vaping areas in bars and diners

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 6th March 2019

Japan’s health authorities have issued new ordinances related to smoking areas, including the first designated signs to apply to dedicated areas for the use of heated tobacco...

JT shows two new higher-temp HnB devices for Japan

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 21st January 2019

Japan Tobacco (JT) is launching two new heat-not-burn (HnB) devices in the Japanese market as it tries to catch up with IQOS and Glo in its home territory ...

IQOS versus Glo: PMI takes on BAT in Japanese HnB patent battle

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 3rd December 2018

Philip Morris International (PMI) is suing British American Tobacco (BAT) in Japan for infringement of the patent for IQOS, claiming the rival company has copied the technology for its own Glo device ...

IQOS global upgrades announced; dual consumables for Japan

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 24th October 2018

PMI has announced the worldwide launch of two new IQOS devices during a series of events in Japan. The iQOS 3 and iQOS Multi feature quicker charging and longer battery life ...

Good but could be better – 2018 no longer looks quite as rosy for BAT

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 17th October 2018

British American Tobacco (BAT) has lowered its expectations of its heated tobacco and vaping products this year – but still anticipates continuing growth ...

Imperial Brands confirms Pulze for Japan, announces Nixx e-liquid

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 28th September 2018

Imperial Brands has confirmed the launch of its first heated tobacco product, Pulze, in early 2019 in Japan, which is proving a fertile market for heat-not-burn (HnB) ...

Tax hikes and usage restrictions will impact on HnB in Japan

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 11th September 2018

Tax on products in Japan’s growing heated tobacco market will go up on 1st October, as part of a staggered series of rises up to 2022, that will bring the levies on them closer to...

Japanese firm launches independent rival device to heat IQOS Heets

Written by Freddie Dawson | 4th July 2018

A new heated-tobacco device which uses PMI’s tobacco consumables Heets will be officially launched on the Japanese market later this month by Jouz, a new independent...

Rival HnB devices that use IQOS consumables available in Japan

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 17th May 2018

Japan’s advanced heated tobacco market and its ban on nicotine e-liquid are between them leading e-cigarette manufacturers to launch their own HnB devices – many compatible with the Heets made for market leader...

Big in Japan – now JTI and BAT plan to make heated tobacco even bigger

Written by Freddie Dawson | 7th May 2018

British American Tobacco (BAT) and Japan Tobacco International (JTI) are both planning further investment in reduced-risk products following successful Japanese...

PMI and Altria report cigarettes down, HnB and vapour up

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 2nd May 2018

While sales of traditional cigarettes continue to decline worldwide, PMI is increasingly relying on its heated-tobacco device IQOS to buoy up its financial results, particularly through sales in Japan and Korea ...

Vape show reveals mixed feelings on Japan’s market future

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 16th April 2018

Opinions on the future of the Japanese e-cigarette market at the country’s first vape sector tradeshow were mixed, with some optimism despite the continuing ban on nicotine e-liquid and the dramatic success of HnB...

JT set to take the biggest hit from Japan’s new HnB tax plans

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 6th March 2018

The budget plan making its way through a host of Japanese parliamentary committees includes a staggered series of tax rises for heated tobacco products as well as combustible cigarettes – and Japan Tobacco could suffer...

As cigarette sales fall, PMI and JT plan further HnB investment

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 16th February 2018

As tobacco giants Philip Morris International (PMI) and Japan Tobacco (JT) have been hit by falling tobacco sales, revenues from their e-cigarette and heat-not-burn (HnB) portfolios have increased ...

Heat-not-burn products rise as cigarette sales fall in Japan

Written by Freddie Dawson | 9th February 2018

Reduced-risk products have severely impacted sales of conventional cigarettes in Japan, according to Japan Tobacco. The firm says the total value of cigarette sales fell by 12.5% in 2017 ...

IQOS flourishes across Southeast Asia – without PMI’s approval

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 6th February 2018

The IQOS heated tobacco system is on sale across Southeast Asia, despite doubts over its legality in a number of countries, and the official disapproval of its maker, PMI ...

Web traffic shows global interest in HnB since Big Tobacco product launches

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 10th November 2017

A new market report from ECigIntelligence reveals the growth in global internet traffic to heated tobacco websites since the launch of heat-not-burn products by some Big Tobacco...

Boom in IQOS figures reveals HnB’s rising share of world tobacco market

Written by Freddie Dawson | 26th October 2017

Heated tobacco continues to take up a greater and greater share of the total world tobacco market, according to new figures from Philip Morris International (PMI) outlining the success of its IQOS...

Japan’s online searches for HnB outstrip American interest in vaping

Written by Barnaby Page | 16th October 2017

The number of Google searches in Japan for topics related to heat-not-burn has rocketed, illustrating how rapidly the new nicotine technology has gained ground in that...

Japanese regulation favours HnB products over e-cigarettes

Written by TobaccoIntelligence | 18th September 2017

The market for heated tobacco products in Japan is very favourable due to comparatively light regulation – as opposed to e-cigarettes, which are subject to more...

New studies examine HnB’s nicotine delivery and consumer reactions

Written by Marc Beishon | 21st June 2017

New research shines a little light on how Japanese consumers are reacting to iQOS, and how HnB products compare with both combustibles and e-cigarettes on the crucial question of nicotine...

Asia Pacific warms to heat-not-burn, but it’s not an easy road

Written by Freddie Dawson | 20th February 2017

Japan Tobacco and Philip Morris International are attempting to widen their distribution of heat-not-burn (HnB) products throughout Pacific Asia, but there have been problems along the...

JTI prepares Japan-wide Ploom Tech launch, but iQOS gains ground

Written by Freddie Dawson | 29th September 2016

Japan Tobacco (JTI) has ramped up production of its Ploom Tech e-cigarette in preparation for a nationwide launch across Japan, following successful trials in the city of Fukuoka ...

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