Japan's vaping market faces demand outstripping supply (with images)

According to recent reports cited by Hugo, vaping products have been selling extremely well in Japan and are now in short supply.

The boom in Japan’s vaping market is mainly being driven by IQOS. The product is manufactured by Philip Morris Japan K.K. and first went on sale in Tokyo in September 2015 before being rolled out across Japan in April this year.

Although the product is priced as high as 9,980 yen (about RMB 653.5), it sells out as soon as it hits the shelves in convenience stores and tobacco shops. IQOS has already captured more than 5% market share in Tokyo.

In March 2016, Japan Tobacco Inc. also began selling its vaping device, Ploom Tech, in Fukuoka. Due to a surge in orders, the company suspended shipments. Although deliveries resumed in June, online orders for new users are still currently on hold.

Satoshi Inoue, Director of Corporate Affairs at Philip Morris Japan, said that as the number of smokers in Japan declines, manufacturers see vaping products as a lifeline.

At the same time, consumers should also be aware of the potential risks of vaping products, as they contain nicotine just like conventional cigarettes. In addition, there is no scientific research proving that they pose no secondhand exposure risk. Clinical trials have also not conclusively determined whether vaping products are harmful to human health. Manufacturers have likewise stated that they cannot guarantee that the risks from vaping products are lower than those of conventional tobacco.

Local governments across Japan also differ in their approach to vaping products. Chiyoda Ward in Tokyo treats them the same as conventional cigarettes, so consumers who use them in public streets may be fined. In contrast, the governments of Osaka and Nagoya currently do not regulate them, saying that these smokeless products do not burn or injure others.

At the same time, public facilities such as restaurants and hotels may also decide for themselves whether to allow consumers to use vaping products. (Compiled by Hugo/Fang Xiaoling)