In Japan, heated tobacco products are regulated by the amended Health Promotion Act. The amendments to the Act define smoking to include smoke or vapour from burned or heated tobacco, and therefore heated tobacco products are included in the smoking ban stipulated by the amendments. Smoking is completely banned in schools, hospitals, children’s facilities, government facilities, passenger cars, and planes. However, in practice, use of heated tobacco products is allowed in other public places such as restaurants and passenger ships and trains. The tax on heated tobacco products is currently at the same level as pipe tobacco under the Tobacco Tax Act, and sale to minors is restricted in accordance with Article 5 of the Act on Prohibition of Smoking by Minors. Heated tobacco products are also regulated by the Tobacco Business Act.
Prevalence
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 220,376 | 1A A |
| 2016 | 2.0 million | 1A A |
| 2017 | 4.0 million | 1A B |
| 2018 | 5.6 million | 1A A |
| 2019 | 12.4 million | 1A A |
| 2020 | 11.9 million | 1A A |
| 2022 | 12.9 million | 1B C |
| 2022 | 12.9 million | 1A A |
| 2023 | 13.5 million | 1A A |
- 1. https://academic.oup.com/ntr/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ntr/ntaf216/8300886 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/
- 1. 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 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/
- Cohort: 15+. 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/
- Cohort: 20+. 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/
- 2022 Japan Society and New Tobacco Internet Survey (JASTIS) 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/
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 0.2% | 2A A |
| 2016 | 1.8% | 2A A |
| 2017 | 3.6% | 2A B |
| 2018 | 5.1% | 2A A |
| 2019 | 11.3% | 2A A |
| 2020 | 10.9% | 2A A |
| 2022 | 11.8% | 2B C |
| 2022 | 11.8% | 2A A |
| 2023 | 12.4% | 2A A |
- https://academic.oup.com/ntr/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ntr/ntaf216/8300886
- 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
- Cohort: 15+.
- Cohort: 20+.
- 2022 Japan Society and New Tobacco Internet Survey (JASTIS)
- 1. https://academic.oup.com/ntr/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ntr/ntaf216/8300886 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/
- https://academic.oup.com/ntr/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ntr/ntaf216/8300886
- 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
- Cohort: 15+. 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/
- Cohort: 15+.
- 2022 Japan Society and New Tobacco Internet Survey (JASTIS)
Regulation
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.40 | 2A A |
| 2016 | 1.00 | 2A A |
| 2016 | 1.60 | 2A A |
| 2016 | 2.20 | 2A A |
| 2017 | 2.90 | 2A A |
| 2017 | 4.30 | 2A A |
| 2017 | 5.20 | 2A A |
| 2017 | 6.00 | 2A A |
| 2018 | 6.30 | 2A A |
| 2018 | 6.60 | 2A A |
| 2018 | 7.50 | 2A A |
| 2018 | 5.60 | 2A A |
| 2019 | 6.40 | 2A A |
| 2019 | 0.60 | 2B A |
| 2019 | 6.70 | 2A A |
| 2019 | 0.80 | 2B A |
| 2019 | 7.20 | 2A A |
| 2019 | 0.90 | 2B A |
| 2019 | 2.30 | 2B A |
| 2024 | 81.12 | 2C |
- PMI Quarterly Earnings Report
- JTI 2019 Third Quarter Results; https://www.jt.com/investors/index.html
- JTI and PMI annual and quarterly earnings reports 2014-2023
- quarterly
- 1. Philip Morris International website. Available at: https://www.pmi.com/smoke-free-products/iqos-our-tobacco-heating-system; 2. WHO (2018) Heated tobacco products (Htps) market monitoring information sheet. Available at: https://www.who.int/tobacco/publications/prod_regulation/htps-marketing-monitoring/en/ ; 3. Industry contact provided information; 4. BAT Harm Reduction Report 2018. Available at: https://www.bat.com/group/sites/uk__9d9kcy.nsf/vwPagesWebLive/DO9DCL3P.
- JTI and PMI annual and quarterly earnings reports 2014-2023
- 1. IQOS; 2. glo; 3. Ploom tech
Availability
- 1. Philip Morris International website. Available at: https://www.pmi.com/smoke-free-products/iqos-our-tobacco-heating-system; 2. WHO (2018) Heated tobacco products (Htps) market monitoring information sheet. Available at: https://www.who.int/tobacco/publications/prod_regulation/htps-marketing-monitoring/en/ ; 3. Industry contact provided information; 4. BAT Harm Reduction Report 2018. Available at: https://www.bat.com/group/sites/uk__9d9kcy.nsf/vwPagesWebLive/DO9DCL3P.
- 1. IQOS; 2. glo; 3. Ploom tech
Publications
What are heated tobacco products?
Appearing on the market in the mid-2010s, heated tobacco products include brands such as IQOS, glo and Ploom. This Briefing Paper provides an introduction to this safer nicotine product category and explores their tobacco harm reduction potential.
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.