In Japan, e-cigarettes are regulated as medicinal products. This means they cannot be legally sold or distributed without pharmaceutical approval. Online sales of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes are not allowed either, and their commercial importation is prohibited. Some unofficial sources suggest that Japanese vapers may be able to import up to one month's supply of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes for personal use, but this information cannot be independently confirmed. Despite the regulatory restrictions, survey data from 2017 estimated that around 2.1 million adults in Japan were current e-cigarette users, and the adult current e-cigarette vaping prevalence was estimated to be 1.9%.in the same year, 11.4% people reported having tried e-cigarettes at least once. If you have more recent or verified information about e-cigarette regulations or use in Japan, the GSTHR team would welcome your input by email.
Prevalence
- 1. Tabuchi, T. et al (2017) Heat-not-burn tobacco product use in Japan: its prevalence, predictors and perceived symptoms from exposure to secondhand heat-not-burn tobacco aerosol. Tobacco Control. https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/early/2017/12/15/tobaccocontrol-2017-053947?papetoc=#DC1 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/
- Tabuchi, T. et al (2017) Heat-not-burn tobacco product use in Japan: its prevalence, predictors and perceived symptoms from exposure to secondhand heat-not-burn tobacco aerosol. Tobacco Control. https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/early/2017/12/15/tobaccocontrol-2017-053947?papetoc=#DC1
Regulation
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 or earlier | Banned | 1A |
| 2024 | Banned | 1B |
| 2024 | Banned | 1C |
- Data cross-referenced where possible using the following sources :1. Vapetrotter website. Available at: https://www.vapetrotter.com/laws/ ; 2. Global tobacco control website. Available at:https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/node/14052 ; 3. Tobacco Control Laws website. Available at : https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/
- Act on Securing Quality, Efficacy and Safety of Products Including Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices—Japanese/English— Japanese Law Translation. (1960). https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/en/laws/view/3213
- Anti Smoking Global Index. Vaping Products. Available at: https://antismoking.global/world-map. Accessed: 22 July 2025.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 or earlier | Yes | 2A |
| 2024 | Yes | 2B |
- Data cross-referenced where possible using the following sources :1. Vapetrotter website. Available at: https://www.vapetrotter.com/laws/ ; 2. Global tobacco control website. Available at:https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/node/14052 ; 3. Tobacco Control Laws website. Available at : https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/
- Act on Securing Quality, Efficacy and Safety of Products Including Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices—Japanese/English— Japanese Law Translation. (1960). https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/en/laws/view/3213
- Anti Smoking Global Index. Vaping Products. Available at: https://antismoking.global/world-map. Accessed: 22 July 2025.
- Act on Securing Quality, Efficacy and Safety of Products Including Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices—Japanese/English— Japanese Law Translation. (1960). https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/en/laws/view/3213
Availability
- Anti Smoking Global Index. Vaping Products. Available at: https://antismoking.global/world-map. Accessed: 22 July 2025.
Regulations and restrictions
Publications
Why is tobacco harm reduction needed and what is the evidence it works?
Our latest Briefing Paper explains the importance of tobacco harm reduction as well as providing a range of country case studies demonstrating the power of safer nicotine products to bring down rates of smoking.
The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction 2024: A Situation Report
This Briefing Paper summarises The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction 2024: A Situation Report, which uses the latest evidence and new data projections to report on the current global THR situation and its potential to rapidly reduce the burden of disease and mortality associated with risky tobacco use.
Cigarette sales halved: heated tobacco products and the Japanese experience
In the ten years following the introduction of heated tobacco products to Japan, sales of cigarettes have fallen by 52% in Japan. This Briefing Paper explores some of the factors that have helped bring about this startling decline alongside the rapid growth of heated tobacco products.