Profile
Japan Flag
Cigarettes
Traditional Smokeless
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
Japan Background
Profile
Japan Flag
Cigarettes
Traditional Smokeless
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
Data sourced: 2024.   Page updated: 2025-12-08

Prevalence

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Year Value Reference/Comment
2019 24.3 million 1A
2024 16.9 million 1B
References:
  1. (1) WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition. (2) Department of Economic and Social Affairs (Ed.). (2019). World Population Prospects 2019 (Online Edition Rev. 1.; Population Division). United Nations. https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  2. WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2019 21.9% 1A
2020 17.9% 1B
2022 16.8% 1C A
2022 19.4% 1D B
2024 15.4% 1E
References:
  1. WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
  2. WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
  3. WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
  4. Odani, S., & Tabuchi, T. (2022). Prevalence and denial of current tobacco product use: Combustible and heated tobacco products, Japan, 2022. Preventive Medicine Reports, 30, 102031. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.102031
  5. WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
Comments:
  1. Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
  2. 2022 Japan Society and New Tobacco Internet Survey (JASTIS)
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2019 10.5% 1A
2020 8.1% 1B
2022 7.7% 1C A
2022 10.5% 1D B
2024 7.1% 1E
References:
  1. WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
  2. WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
  3. WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
  4. Odani, S., & Tabuchi, T. (2022). Prevalence and denial of current tobacco product use: Combustible and heated tobacco products, Japan, 2022. Preventive Medicine Reports, 30, 102031. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.102031
  5. WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
Comments:
  1. Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
  2. 2022 Japan Society and New Tobacco Internet Survey (JASTIS)
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2019 33.2% 1A
2020 28.3% 1B
2022 26.5% 1C A
2022 28.7% 1D B
2024 24.2% 1E
References:
  1. WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
  2. WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
  3. WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
  4. Odani, S., & Tabuchi, T. (2022). Prevalence and denial of current tobacco product use: Combustible and heated tobacco products, Japan, 2022. Preventive Medicine Reports, 30, 102031. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.102031
  5. WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
Comments:
  1. Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
  2. 2022 Japan Society and New Tobacco Internet Survey (JASTIS)
21.0 million
2 A
19.1%
3 B
9.4%
3 B
29.6%
3 B
References:
  1. WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
  2. 1. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2017, Country profiles http://www.who.int/tobacco/surveillance/policy/country_profile/en/ 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  3. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2017, Country profiles http://www.who.int/tobacco/surveillance/policy/country_profile/en/
Comments:
  1. These rates are modelled using all national survey data published since 1990 to estimate the underlying prevalence trends by sex, then applying age-standardization to allow comparison with other countries. They do not necessarily resemble country data from 2015 World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  2. These rates are modelled using all national survey data published since 1990 to estimate the underlying prevalence trends by sex, then applying age-standardization to allow comparison with other countries. They do not necessarily resemble country data from 2015

Smoking-related mortality

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Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 157,810 1A
2021 142,775 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 32,109 1A
2021 22,932 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 125,701 1A
2021 119,843 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 15.57% 1A
2021 9.93% 1B B
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 4.9% 1A
2021 3.28% 1B B
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 18.3% 1A
2021 16.21% 1B B
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
References:
  1. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
  2. Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.

Regulation

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Year Value Reference/Comment
2014 8.80 1A A
2014 8.90 1A A
2014 12.70 1A A
2014 6.70 1A A
2014 9.20 1A A
2014 8.90 1A A
2014 10.00 1A A
2014 9.40 1A A
2014 9.40 1A A
2014 9.60 1A A
2014 8.70 1A A
2014 10.20 1A A
2015 10.90 1B B
2015 8.30 1A A
2015 8.30 1A A
2015 8.90 1A A
2015 11.70 1B B
2015 9.20 1A A
2015 9.20 1A A
2015 9.30 1A A
2015 11.90 1B B
2015 9.80 1A A
2015 9.20 1A A
2015 9.20 1A A
2015 11.60 1B B
2015 9.40 1A A
2015 8.60 1A A
2015 9.90 1A A
2016 10.50 1B B
2016 8.10 1A A
2016 8.40 1A A
2016 10.60 1A A
2016 11.30 1B B
2016 8.00 1A A
2016 8.70 1A A
2016 8.80 1A A
2016 11.60 1B B
2016 9.00 1A A
2016 9.30 1A A
2016 8.70 1A A
2016 11.10 1B B
2016 8.60 1A A
2016 8.30 1A A
2016 9.60 1A A
2017 9.30 1B B
2017 7.10 1A A
2017 7.40 1A A
2017 8.50 1A A
2017 9.50 1B B
2017 7.70 1A A
2017 8.20 1A A
2017 8.00 1A A
2017 9.40 1B B
2017 7.90 1A A
2017 8.10 1A A
2017 7.50 1A A
2017 8.40 1B B
2017 7.50 1A A
2017 7.00 1A A
2017 8.00 1A A
2018 7.50 1B B
2018 6.10 1A A
2018 6.20 1A A
2018 7.20 1A A
2018 7.90 1B B
2018 6.70 1A A
2018 7.10 1A A
2018 7.00 1A A
2018 8.70 1B B
2018 7.10 1A A
2018 7.30 1A A
2018 9.40 1A A
2018 6.60 1B B
2018 4.90 1A A
2018 6.10 1A A
2018 6.80 1A A
2019 6.60 1B B
2019 5.90 1A A
2019 5.70 1A A
2019 6.30 1A A
2019 7.00 1B B
2019 6.60 1A A
2019 6.60 1A A
2019 6.20 1A A
2019 7.30 1B B
2019 6.70 1A A
2019 6.60 1A A
2019 6.80 1A A
2019 5.80 1A A
2024 82.84 1C A
References:
  1. JTI: Japanese Domestic Cigarette Sales Results.
  2. PMI Quarterly Earnings Report
  3. JTI: Japanese Domestic Cigarette Sales Results and PMI Quarterly Earnings Report
Comments:
  1. monthly
  2. quarterly
  3. per year
References:
  1. JTI: Japanese Domestic Cigarette Sales Results and PMI Quarterly Earnings Report
Comments:
  1. per year
The GSTHR database is updated regularly by our team. However, please be aware that the information we provide does not constitute legal advice. We cannot guarantee that the information is up to date or accurate, as the regulatory status of different product categories can change at short notice and with little publicity. If you wish to check the legal status of use or possession of any safer nicotine product in a specific country or region, you should verify the information independently. If you have reason to think that the information supplied on the GSTHR is inaccurate, please contact us with details and any references and we will rectify any errors.