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Tag: Japan Tobacco

  • Japan Tobacco to Announce Third-Quarter Results Oct. 29

    Japan Tobacco to Announce Third-Quarter Results Oct. 29

    Japan Tobacco Inc. will announce its fiscal 2026 third-quarter financial results on Oct. 29 at 3:30 p.m. Japan time. The company will distribute results materials to the press by email and will not hold a press conference.

    JT will hold an investor briefing via Zoom from 5 to 6 p.m. Japan time on Oct. 29. Members of the press may attend but are asked not to speak during the question-and-answer session. Advance registration is required through the Zoom webinar registration page. An on-demand recording will be available through JT’s webcast page.

  • JT Group’s Habee App Wins 2026 Good Design Award

    JT Group’s Habee App Wins 2026 Good Design Award

    Japan Tobacco (JT) Group’s habit-building smartphone app Habee has received the 2026 Good Design Award from the Japan Institute of Design Promotion. The app is part of JT Group’s Momentia digital platform and is the second consecutive year a Momentia ID-compatible app has won the award, following the mental wellness app beSelf in 2025.

    Habee uses team-based challenges, daily progress tracking, photos, comments, and peer support to encourage users to develop habits and achieve goals. The award recognized its intuitive interface and design intended to help users maintain habits. JT Group said Momentia also includes digital services and online shopping, with a shared ID for eligible services. A registration campaign tied to the award is scheduled to run through Nov. 22.

  • JTI Expands Oral Nicotine Portfolio With PERLZ

    JTI Expands Oral Nicotine Portfolio With PERLZ

    Japan Tobacco International has expanded its alternative-nicotine portfolio in the United Kingdom with PERLZ, a dissolvable oral nicotine product available in Mint and Berry flavors and in two nicotine strengths. The product adds another format alongside conventional nicotine pouches as tobacco companies expand their offerings beyond combustible cigarettes.

    The launch adds to JTI’s broader investment in alternative nicotine products and its efforts to develop new categories for adult nicotine consumers. PERLZ also expands the range of oral nicotine formats competing for shelf space in the U.K. market.

  • JTI to Increase Heated-Tobacco Investment by 60%

    JTI to Increase Heated-Tobacco Investment by 60%

    Japan Tobacco International plans to invest ¥800 billion (about €4.5 billion) in heated-tobacco products from 2026 through 2028, a 60% increase over the previous three-year period, according to Spanish business newspaper Cinco Días. The investment is intended to expand the company’s Ploom brand and strengthen its position against Philip Morris International’s IQOS.

    JTI is targeting an average 15% market share across the 29 markets where Ploom operates, with Poland and Italy among its priorities. The investment comes as major tobacco companies expand smoke-free product portfolios and compete for share in heated-tobacco markets.

  • Russia Attacks JTI Subsidiary in Ukraine

    Russia Attacks JTI Subsidiary in Ukraine

    Russia’s Defense Ministry said it struck a subsidiary of Japan Tobacco International (JTI) in Ukraine’s Poltava region as part of an attack on Ukrainian defense industry enterprises, port infrastructure, and vessels. Russia alleged the JTI facility was producing ammunition for Ukrainian forces. JTI denied the allegation, saying it manufactures and sells tobacco products and has never been involved in military production.

    JTI said the factory had been struck several times and that operations were suspended before the latest attacks. The company said all employees were safe. The Japanese Embassy in Ukraine said it had no information indicating that any Japanese nationals were affected by the latest attack.

  • Japan’s Heated Tobacco Market Reaches New Milestone

    Japan’s Heated Tobacco Market Reaches New Milestone

    Heated tobacco and other noncombustible products accounted for a larger share of Japan’s tobacco sales than cigarettes in 2025, marking a significant shift in the country’s market, according to Toyo Keizai. Philip Morris International’s IQOS leads the heated tobacco category with about 70% market share, followed by Japan Tobacco’s Ploom at 16.4% and British American Tobacco’s glo at 14.3%, based on Euromonitor data cited by the publication.

    According to the article, Japan’s Oct. 1 tax changes narrowed the price gap between cigarettes and heated tobacco, while potentially tighter regulation could create additional challenges. BAT and PMI have also entered Japan’s nicotine-pouch market, with JT following this year.

  • JT Wins HR Wellness Award

    JT Wins HR Wellness Award

    Japan Tobacco’s human resources department has won an award in the Corporate HR category of the “HR Award 2026” for its “Wellness Advance” initiative, which addresses health issues related to gender differences and supports employee well-being and career development. Introduced in October 2025, the program provides support for menopause symptoms, menstrual issues, and declining fertility, including workplace and financial assistance, management training, and collaboration with occupational health nurses. JT said the initiative has improved health literacy among employees and reduced barriers to seeking advice, medical care, and treatment.

  • Scandinavian, JT Complete Break, Moro Transaction

    Scandinavian, JT Complete Break, Moro Transaction

    Scandinavian Tobacco Group completed the sale of its Break and Moro fine-cut tobacco brands to Japan Tobacco for DKK 1.3 billion, or DKK 1 billion after tax. The transaction, effective Oct. 1, includes the transfer of certain inventories to Japan Tobacco, with proceeds from the inventory sale to be included in the group’s free cash flow before acquisitions and divestments.

    Scandinavian Tobacco Group raised its 2026 free cash flow guidance to DKK 1.2 billion-1.4 billion from DKK 950 million-1.2 billion. The company said the divestment will be dilutive to earnings but maintained its 2026 guidance for reported net sales growth at constant currencies, EBIT margin before special items, and adjusted earnings per share.

  • JTI Says Regulatory Gaps Fueling Illicit Trade in Philippines

    JTI Says Regulatory Gaps Fueling Illicit Trade in Philippines

    Japan Tobacco International (JTI) said regulatory and enforcement gaps are contributing to the movement of illicit tobacco across the Philippines’ borders, with criminal networks using maritime routes between Malaysia, Indonesia, and Mindanao. JTI Anti-Illicit Trade Operations Regional Director Valentin Dinca said illicit tobacco originating in China, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Cambodia moves through regional transit hubs including Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. In the Philippines, he identified Tawi-Tawi, Sarangani, and Zamboanga as key points for shipments arriving by sea before being redistributed domestically.

    JTI Philippines Director for Corporate Affairs and Communications Shaiful Mahpar called on ASEAN governments to align export-control requirements, increase intelligence sharing, and strengthen cross-border enforcement. JTI said a June operation with Philippine authorities led to the seizure of 23 containers of illicit cigarettes valued at about 1.7 billion pesos ($27.5 million). Mahpar said export shipments should comply with the destination market’s requirements, including tax stamps and graphic health warnings, to reduce opportunities for illicit trade.

  • Italy’s New Cigarette Prices Take Effect

    Italy’s New Cigarette Prices Take Effect

    Beginning today (Sept. 28), Italy implemented another round of tobacco price increases, with updated Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM) price lists covering about 75 products, including cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, and fine-cut tobacco, according to La Sicilia. Increases are as much as €0.30 per pack, with several Japan Tobacco International brands affected, including Camel, Winston, and Benson & Hedges. Examples cited by La Sicilia include Camel hard packs at €6.30, Winston at €5.80, and Benson & Hedges Gold at €6.80.

    The latest increases follow adjustments in January that affected Philip Morris brands, including Marlboro. The price changes are linked to Italy’s revised tobacco excise structure, which raises the fixed component of the cigarette excise duty from €32 per 1,000 cigarettes in 2026 to €35.50 in 2027 and €38.50 from 2028. Minimum tax charges for fine-cut tobacco and cigarillos are also scheduled to increase through 2028.