SHARE

Using HTP in Japan

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: 2026-06-16

In Japan, heated tobacco products (HTPs) are regulated as tobacco products and are allowed for sale, including through online channels. HTPs are widely available in specialised retail stores. The law allows manufacturers to make health-related claims about these products and does not impose restrictions on their flavours; however, it also requires health warnings on product packaging. Also, there are legal restrictions on the use of HTPs in public places.

Data show that there were an estimated 13.5 million current HTP users in Japan in 2023, representing a dramatic increase from 2015, when the number of current HTP users was estimated to be 220,000 individuals. In other words, the prevalence of current HTP use among adults increased from just 0.2% in 2015 to 12.4% in 2023.

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
References:
  1. 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/
  2. 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/
Comments:
  1. 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/
  2. 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/
  3. 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
References:
  1. https://academic.oup.com/ntr/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ntr/ntaf216/8300886
  2. 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
Comments:
  1. Cohort: 15+.
  2. Cohort: 20+.
  3. 2022 Japan Society and New Tobacco Internet Survey (JASTIS)
6%
3 A
2022
17.9%
3 A
2022
References:
  1. 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/
  2. https://academic.oup.com/ntr/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ntr/ntaf216/8300886
  3. 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
Comments:
  1. 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/
  2. Cohort: 15+.
  3. 2022 Japan Society and New Tobacco Internet Survey (JASTIS)

Product promotion

References:
  1. Anti Smoking Global Index. Heated Tobacco Products. Available at: https://antismoking.global/world-map. Accessed: 16 July 2025.

Regulation

Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier Allowed 1A A
2023 Allowed 1B
References:
  1. 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.
  2. Global Tobacco Control. Heated Tobacco. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/heated-tobacco/countries?country=586. Accessed: 10 July 2025.
Comments:
  1. 1. IQOS; 2. glo; 3. Ploom tech
Yes
1
2023
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
References:
  1. PMI Quarterly Earnings Report
  2. JTI 2019 Third Quarter Results; https://www.jt.com/investors/index.html
  3. JTI and PMI annual and quarterly earnings reports 2014-2023
Comments:
  1. quarterly
References:
  1. Global Tobacco Control. Heated Tobacco. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/heated-tobacco/countries?country=586. Accessed: 10 July 2025.
  2. JTI and PMI annual and quarterly earnings reports 2014-2023

Availability

References:
  1. Global Tobacco Control. Heated Tobacco. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/heated-tobacco/countries?country=586. Accessed: 10 July 2025.
  2. 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.
  3. Anti Smoking Global Index. Heated Tobacco Products. Available at: https://antismoking.global/world-map. Accessed: 16 July 2025.
Comments:
  1. 1. IQOS; 2. glo; 3. Ploom tech

Regulations and restrictions

References:
  1. Anti Smoking Global Index. Heated Tobacco Products. Available at: https://antismoking.global/world-map. Accessed: 16 July 2025.
  2. Global Tobacco Control. Heated Tobacco. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/heated-tobacco/countries?country=586. Accessed: 10 July 2025.
Comments:
  1. All flavours are allowed.

Tax

Up to 10% of those levied on cigarettes
1
2024
References:
  1. Anti Smoking Global Index. Heated Tobacco Products. Available at: https://antismoking.global/world-map. Accessed: 16 July 2025.

Publications

Jun
2025

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.

Retail volume of cigarette and HTP markets in selected countries

Retail volume of cigarette and HTP markets in selected countries

Heated tobacco product (HTP) sales have seen significant growth since 2016, in Asia Pacific and Western and Eastern Europe. In many countries, this has coincided with a drop in cigarette sales. Data on retail volume sales of cigarettes and HTP are both measured in sticks, but one HTP stick may not be a perfect substitute for people who smoke, as it contains a lower dose of nicotine than one cigarette. Nevertheless, retail volume sales figures do suggest varied substitution effects in the following countries:

  • approximately one–to-one substitution of HTP sticks for cigarettes: Hungary, South Korea, Italy, Germany.
  • cigarette sales drop faster than HTP sales increase: Slovakia, Czech Republic, Russia, Japan, Greece.
  • cigarette sales drop slower than HTP sales increase: Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Portugal.

See "The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction 2024: A Situation Report" for more information.

May
2024

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.

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.