http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/org/jt.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1732767/ http://tobacco.org/news/268241.html Japan Tobacco Inc. (TSE:2914) will step up its cigarette marketing efforts in Russia, focusing on upscale brands to woo local consumers, whose incomes are rising. In May, JT released a premium brand in Russia that is part of the Winston product family. JT sells Winston after it acquired the non-U.S. cigarette operations of American firm RJR Nabisco Inc. The new brand is "off to a strong start," according to Executive Officer Akira Saeki. Trading Markets info@tradingmarkets.com Russia Wed, 02 Jul 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://business-standard.com/common/storypage_c.php?leftnm=10&autono=327783 http://tobacco.org/news/268240.html The issue of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the tobacco industry may be rekindled with Japan Tobacco International Ltd (JTIL), the world's third largest tobacco company, applying to the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) to raise its stake in its Indian venture from 50 to 74 per cent. The remaining equity of the company is with Indian domestic investors. The company, which launched its Winston brand of cigarettes in Bangalore, Kerala and Mumbai last year, plans to invest $100 million to expand its presence in one of the world's fastest growing markets. The Rs 17,000-crore branded cigarette market is growing at 8 to 10 per cent. The company also owns the famous Camel brand. Business Standard India Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://eng.primenewsonline.com/news/122/ARTICLE/21681/2008-06-30.html http://tobacco.org/news/268235.html PrimeNewsOnline Ukraine Georgia Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Layout/Includes/ET/Artwin.asp?From=Archive&Skin=ET&BaseHref=ETD/2008/07/04&EntityId=Ar02000&ViewMode=HTML&AppName=1 http://tobacco.org/news/268227.html JAPAN Tobacco, the third largest tobacco company in the world, has sought permission from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) to hike foreign equity in its Indian joint venture to infuse funds and revamp the loss-making business. Owned 66% by the government of Japan, the company’s portfolio includes major brands like Camel, Mild Seven, Winston, Gold Coast and Salem. The Indian business of the Japanese major has accumulated losses of Rs 127.74 crore and the parent company now wants to bring the business to black through restructuring. The Times of India India Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121493619473920009.html http://tobacco.org/news/268107.html Japan, long known for its smoker-friendly policies, is debating a substantial tax increase that could bring Tokyo in line with the U.S. and Europe. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party's annual tax commission is expected to review a proposal by key lawmakers that could more than triple the retail price of a pack of cigarettes to about $10. The backers of the higher tax are looking at the additional revenue as a way to cut Japan's ballooning budget deficit without taking the deeply unpopular move of raising its consumption tax. The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition Japan Wed, 02 Jul 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1731090/ http://tobacco.org/news/268101.html Japan Tobacco Inc. and organizations representing tobacco farmers and stores on Tuesday jointly voiced opposition to a possible tobacco tax hike, arguing that higher tobacco prices would dampen consumption and not lead to increased tax revenue. . . . "If the tax is hiked as it is proposed now, the impact on sales would be immeasurable," Yamada said. He added that given an expected slump in tobacco sales in the case of a sharp tax hike, the government would not be able to raise tobacco tax revenues as much as it anticipates. Trading Markets Japan Wed, 02 Jul 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.tobaccojournal.com/Japan_Tobacco_recalls_ashtrays.49058.0.html http://tobacco.org/news/267676.html Japan Tobacco said Monday it will recall some 40,000 giveaway ashtrays it distributed in northern, western and southwestern Japan regions as they may be susceptible to heat damage from burning cigarettes. Tobacco Journal International Japan Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=594&art_id=vn20080619054741434C395996 http://tobacco.org/news/267293.html Two tobacco companies are battling it out at Competition Commission Tribunal hearings. At issue is access to retail channels. The tribunal's ruling is likely to affect the cigarette brands that are immediately visible to consumers at retail outlets. Japan Tobacco International South Africa (JTISA) has accused British American Tobacco South Africa (Batsa) of being involved in conduct aimed at denying its competitors access to various retail channels. The Independent Online South Africa Thu, 19 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aWgNBVIzC4B8 http://tobacco.org/news/266766.html Japan Tobacco Inc. said a proposal to triple cigarette prices through higher taxes would devastate the nation's tobacco industry and damage the value of the world's third-largest publicly traded cigarette maker. The stock fell to a 20-month low. ``It would be disastrous harm for consumers first and the industry as well,'' President Hiroshi Kimura said in an interview at the company's Tokyo headquarters yesterday. ``Any tax hike is going to be very challenging for us.'' Lawmakers have proposed raising taxes for Japan's cigarettes, which sell for less than a third of the U.K. price, to fund rising welfare costs in a country where smoking kills about 100,000 people a year. Bloomberg News fmaguire@bloomberg.net (Fergus Maguire and Mike Firn) China Japan Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUST28963020080606?sp=true http://tobacco.org/news/266511.html Shares in Japan Tobacco Inc and convenience store operators sagged more than 5 percent on Friday after media reported the government might increase tax on tobacco, more than tripling cigarette prices. That would likely curb the number of smokers and would be a big blow for Japan Tobacco, the world's No.3 tobacco maker, which is already grappling with shrinking domestic cigarette demand due to an ageing population and increasing health consciousness. The reports that the price of a pack of cigarettes may jump to 1,000 yen ($9.44) from around 300 yen also pushed down shares in convenience store chains Lawson Inc and FamilyMart. Reuters Japan Fri, 06 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=apMZJlUYUOtw http://tobacco.org/news/266504.html Japan Tobacco Inc., the world's third-largest publicly traded cigarette maker, fell the most in four months in Tokyo trading after a minister said the government may consider increasing cigarette taxes. The stock slumped 5.6 percent to 485,000 yen at the close on Tokyo's stock exchange, its biggest drop since Jan. 28. ``Tobacco taxes are a candidate'' to make up for a shortfall in government revenue, Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Hiroko Ota told reporters in Tokyo today. ``We need to first have a discussion on the entire tax system.'' Bloomberg News tkato6@bloomberg.net (Taku Kato) Japan Fri, 06 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080602/tbs-tobacco-britain-0b94ddd.html http://tobacco.org/news/266338.html British cigarette makers face a new and serious risk to their profits if the UK government rules that cigarettes should only be sold in plain packaging, undermining the power of brands, analysts said on Monday. . . . "We believe the proposal would be extremely serious for the tobacco industry if implemented," said industry analyst Adam Spielman at investment bank Citi, who believes there is a 50 percent chance the proposal will be enforced by 2010. . . . The industry's profitability is based around its leading brands and it would be harmful to manufacturers if smokers traded down to cheaper cigarettes, as analysts say different brands may taste different but the difference in quality is barely perceptible. Citi's Spielman says for Imperial Tobacco its net sales from its premium-priced brand such as Embassy is 96 pence a pack while it only gets 70p from mid-priced Lambert and Butler and much less for discounted brands. Reuters UK Tue, 03 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=105268 http://tobacco.org/news/265762.html The new tobacco law limiting smoking in public zones has received mixed reactions from cigarette companies. The new law satisfies some cigarette producers while others react to the prohibition of sponsorship activities. Japan Tobacco International (JTI), which implements culture and art projects as well as corporate social responsibility projects, criticized the article that restricts sponsorship activities of cigarette producers in Turkey. The firm, foreign capital investment of which has exceeded $500 million since 1990, spends $500,000 per project. Faced with the new law, JTI warned that the portion allocated from the budget to social responsibility projects may be drawn back to be used in other countries. These sponsorship activities never aimed to advertise cigarettes or encourage smoking, JTI said in a statement. "Our brands are not used as a part of sponsorship activities," the firm continued. "Accordingly, we never used materials that can relate, directly or indirectly, to our cigarette brands in our activities. These activities solely aim to contribute to Turkey and Turkish people." Turkish Daily News Turkey Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUST21976320080509 http://tobacco.org/news/265087.html Japan Tobacco Inc, the world's No. 3 tobacco maker, said it may raise the price of domestic cigarettes -- its first non-tax linked hike in 15 years -- to help offset nine straight years of a shrinking market. The increase would come on top of rises in everything from gasoline to beer and noodles that have already burdened consumers in the world's second-largest economy. Japan Tobacco, which is half-owned by the Japanese government, has seen costs rise even as it grapples with an ageing population and widening health consciousness that have reduced the ranks of smokers. Reuters Japan Fri, 09 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aVRKN7a8Km0E http://tobacco.org/news/265023.html Japan Tobacco Inc., the world's third- largest publicly traded cigarette maker, rose the most in two weeks in Tokyo trading after the Nikkei newspaper reported it may raise prices. The company is considering higher prices because the cost of leaf tobacco and packaging has increased as much as 30 percent, the newspaper said, citing an interview with President Hiroshi Kimura. Japan Tobacco climbed 3.8 percent to 493,000 yen at the 3 p.m. close on Tokyo's stock exchange, its biggest gain since April 25. Bloomberg News tkumakura@bloomberg.net (Tak Kumakura) Japan Fri, 09 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT