Market & regulatory data for the vapour sector in Japan

Big Tobacco accused of doing too little, too slowly in switch to reduced risk

Written by Freddie Dawson | 9th May 2023

Tobacco companies are not doing enough to transition to reduced risk products and are not phasing out conventional cigarettes quickly enough, according to the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World (FSFW) ...

Big Tobacco still laying out the road towards a promised smokeless future

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 3rd March 2023

Big Tobacco’s 2022 full-year results show that their collective commitment to transition away from combustible products is not just the companies blowing smoke ...

BAT reports growth in vaping segment internationally, credits disposables

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 19th December 2022

British American Tobacco (BAT) said its “new category” business continues to drive substantial volume, revenue, and market share growth – significantly contributing to the company’s overall performance ...

Vaping companies have little chance to impress in Tobacco Transformation

Written by Barnaby Page | 29th September 2022

Tobacco companies still have some work to do to meet commitments in offering reduced risk alternatives – and when they do, it's often focused elsewhere than the vaping category ...

Vaping products make up 36% of patent applications for alternatives to smoking

Written by ECigIntelligence | 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, with a 9.1% year-on-year increase in patents related to vaping ...

JT launches new tobacco vapour device amid segment revenue decline

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 2nd November 2020

Japan Tobacco (JT) has launched in the domestic market a new tobacco-infused vapour device “Ploom TECH+ with” a few days after the manufacturer posted less revenue for its reduce-risk portfolio in the third quarter of...

World No Tobacco Day 2020: the debate about harm reduction

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 31st May 2020

World No Tobacco Day provides an opportunity to consider the approach that public health authorities, policymakers, and advocates around the world have towards the role of tobacco-alternatives products ...

BAT plans on near 500% increase in smoke-free users in 10 years, reports no hit from coronavirus

Written by ECigIntelligence | 24th March 2020

British American Tobacco (BAT) is targeting an increase in non-combustible product consumers to 50m worldwide by 2030, from the current 11m ...

BAT posts big rise in next-generation revenues despite US crackdown

Written by ECigIntelligence | 27th February 2020

British American Tobacco (BAT) has reported a 36.9% increase in next-generation products revenue in 2019 despite the recent and ongoing crackdown on vaping in the US ...

44% rise in HnB shipments drives a year of smoke-free growth for PMI

Written by ECigIntelligence | 6th February 2020

PMI saw its market share of heated tobacco units in IQOS markets, excluding the US, rise by 1.4 percentage points to 5% last year, with a 44.2% increase in HnB shipments ...

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

Written by ECigIntelligence | 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 ECigIntelligence | 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 2019 ...

Big Tobacco job cuts highlight growing pressure on combustibles business

Written by ECigIntelligence | 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 ECigIntelligence | 14th August 2019

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

New database offers in-depth research on the leading heated tobacco markets

Written by ECigIntelligence | 8th July 2019

ECigIntelligence’s new database on the global heated tobacco market is full of in-depth research about this lucrative market, which is gaining ground all over the world ...

BAT looking forward to substantial growth in next-generation volumes

Written by ECigIntelligence | 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 ECigIntelligence | 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. SMV Japan, which lays claim to being...

Imperial reports the rise and rise of its next-generation products portfolio

Written by ECigIntelligence | 9th May 2019

Imperial Brands will see its vapour and heated tobacco revenues rise by 245% over the course of the year, according to new financial information published this week ...

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

Written by ECigIntelligence | 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 products ...

PMI credits ‘robust’ performance for revenue growth

Written by Daniel Mollenkamp | 8th February 2019

Executives at Philip Morris International (PMI) say the company closed out a “challenging” year with a “robust” performance, with a net revenue of $29.6bn in 2018, up 3.1% on the previous year ...

JT shows two new higher-temp HnB devices for Japan

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 21st January 2019

Japan Tobacco (JT) is launching two new heat-not-burn (HnB) devices in the Japanese market on 29th January as it tries to catch up with Philip Morris International (PMI)’s IQOS and British American Tobacco (BAT)’s Glo...

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

Written by ECigIntelligence | 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 ...

Imperial to double Blu spending while JTI plans Japanese launches

Written by ECigIntelligence | 8th November 2018

Imperial Brands is to double its spending on its premier e-cigarette range, Blu. Meanwhile, JTI is hoping two new additions to its Ploom Tech range can improve the heat-not-burn brand’s fortunes in its home market...

IQOS global upgrades announced; dual consumables for Japan

Written by ECigIntelligence | 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 ECigIntelligence | 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 ECigIntelligence | 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...

Chinese authorities arrest 30 suspects in two HnB smuggling cases

Written by ECigIntelligence | 10th August 2018

A total of 30 suspects have been arrested in a joint anti-smuggling operation by Chinese law enforcement. China Tobacco Ningbo, Ningbo municipal police department and Ningbo municipal anti-smuggling bureau joined forces ...

Advantage BAT in the race to open up US for heated tobacco

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 30th July 2018

British American Tobacco (BAT) has a chance to steal a march on its Big Tobacco rivals in the heated-tobacco market after the company became the first to receive approval to sell a heat-not-burn device in...

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 company ...

Japan embraces CBD – with eager endorsement in high places

Written by ECigIntelligence | 2nd July 2018

Japan, although a socially conservative nation with stringent laws on both medical and recreational marijuana, now allows the sale of CBD products, including e-liquid – and even the prime minister’s wife approves ...

Rival HnB devices that use IQOS consumables available in Japan

Written by ECigIntelligence | 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 IQOS ...

Big in Japan – now JTI and BAT plan to make HnB 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 launches ...

Vape show reveals mixed feelings on Japan’s market future

Written by ECigIntelligence | 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 products...

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

Written by ECigIntelligence | 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...

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 ECigIntelligence | 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, Philip Morris International ...

Boom in IQOS figures reveals HnB’s growing 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 device ...

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 country ...

Japanese regulation favours HnB products over e-cigarettes

Written by ECigIntelligence | 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 controls ...

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...

UK government asks how it should define HnB for tax purposes

Written by Freddie Dawson | 23rd May 2017

As heated tobacco products pose new questions for regulators, the UK government is holding a public consultation on potential tax...

Some Japanese quit with e-cigs, but most prefer willpower

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 16th May 2017

E-cigarettes are more popular than they are successful as smoking cessation aids in Japan, according to a recent study which suggests they should therefore “not be recommended or...

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 way....

BAT to start trials of Glo HnB product in Japanese stores

Written by Freddie Dawson | 8th November 2016

BAT says its Glo heat-not-burn product will be available in Japan from mid-December. It is running a test trial in one city before launching the product nationwide....

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...

ISO to start work on international e-cigarette standard in October

Written by Freddie Dawson | 25th April 2016

The first meeting of an ISO standards committee covering e-cigarettes will take place on 24th October in Osaka,...

Big Tobacco encouraged by research on heat-not-burn

Written by Barnaby Page | 7th December 2015

Are big tobacco companies starting to favour heat-not-burn technology over e-cigarettes? While none has shown any signs of overtly stepping away from e-cigs, and such a move is unlikely, much enthusiasm and investment within the...

Wider rollouts for iQOS; PMI, Altria to develop e-cigs

Written by Barnaby Page | 17th July 2015

Philip Morris International (PMI) is deepening its commitment to alternative nicotine technologies with new rollouts for its iQOS heat-not-burn device, as well as cautious health-related claims for the...

Big Tobacco’s U.S. market share is widened by Logic acquisition

Written by Barnaby Page | 30th April 2015

The top four mainstream e-cigarette brands in the U.S. will all be in the hands of tobacco companies following an agreement by Japan Tobacco (JT) to purchase...

LATEST ALERTS