Japan Tobacco Inc. (JT) released the latest results of its smoking rate survey, a study that has been carried out annually since 1965. The survey, conducted in May 2017, showed that 18.2% of Japanese adults are smokers.
The 2017 figures were calculated based on the adult population provided by the statistics bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications as of April 1, 2017, which were 50.56 million men and 54.53 million women, respectively. The 2016 figures were based on the population as of April 1, 2016, which were 50.45 million men and 54.45 million women.
JT is of the view that the smoking rate in Japan has been on a declining trend due to various factors, including the aging of society, growing awareness about the health risks associated with smoking, tightening of smoking-related regulations, and the tax and price hike.