Japan Tobacco Price Increases on 1 October 2026: Brand-by-Brand List of New IQOS, Ploom and glo Prices

About this article and disclaimer

This is a third-party explanation compiled as of 24 August 2026 from the Ministry of Finance "FY2025 Tax Reform Outline" (https://www.mof.go.jp/tax_policy/tax_reform/outline/fy2025/07taikou_06.htm), the National Tax Agency's explanation (https://www.nta.go.jp/information/other/data/r08/tabacco/03.htm), and the manufacturers' announcements and press reports published in 2026 (JT official release of 5 August 2026 https://www.jti.co.jp/investors/library/press_releases/20260805_J01.html, BAT Japan official release https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000186.000051859.html, Nikkei https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUC066LR0W6A800C2000000/ and https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUC2749C0X20C26A7000000/, Mynavi News https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20260818-4833983/).

Under the Tobacco Business Act, the retail price of manufactured tobacco requires approval by the Minister of Finance for each product. Of the prices in this article, those of JT and BAT Japan have been fixed with approval from the Minister of Finance, while those of Philip Morris Japan are planned prices still under application and may change depending on the approval process. Always check each manufacturer's official announcement and shelf displays for final prices. This article does not encourage smoking or rushed purchases. Smoking by people under 20 is prohibited by the Act on Prohibition of Smoking by Persons Under Twenty Years of Age.

Brand-by-brand list of tobacco price increases on 1 October 2026 (manufacturer announcements as of August 2026)

As of August 2026, the three companies selling heated tobacco in Japan (JT, Philip Morris Japan and BAT Japan) have announced or applied for approval of retail price revisions dated 1 October 2026. The brands and prices are set out by company below. Note the difference in stage: JT and BAT Japan have been approved by the Minister of Finance, while Philip Morris Japan is still under application for approval.

JT: all 31 Ploom tobacco stick brands up by 40 JPY each (approved on 5 August 2026)

JT applied to the Minister of Finance on 15 July 2026 for approval of retail price revisions raising all 31 Ploom tobacco stick brands by 40 JPY each, and announced in an official release that the application was approved as submitted on 5 August 2026. The revision therefore takes effect on 1 October 2026. The prices for the main brands are as follows.

• EVO: 580 JPY → 620 JPY (+40 JPY)
• MEVIUS: 550 JPY → 590 JPY (+40 JPY)
• CAMEL: 530 JPY → 570 JPY (+40 JPY)

The increase is a uniform 40 JPY across all 31 brands. The full list of post-revision prices by brand is set out in the appendix to JT's official release of 5 August 2026 (https://www.jti.co.jp/investors/library/press_releases/20260805_J01.html).

Philip Morris Japan: 54 IQOS brands up (approval pending)

Philip Morris Japan is reported to have applied for approval of retail price revisions for 54 IQOS tobacco stick brands (Nikkei). The breakdown is as follows.

• TEREA (29 brands): 620 JPY → 640 JPY (+20 JPY)
• SENTIA (21 brands): 570 JPY → 590 JPY (+20 JPY)
• Mix (4 brands): 560 JPY → 590 JPY (+30 JPY)

These are also under application, so the listed prices are planned prices premised on approval. Check Philip Morris Japan's official announcement for final prices.

BAT Japan: glo sticks up (announced with Ministry of Finance approval)

On 18 August 2026, BAT Japan announced price revisions for glo tobacco sticks dated 1 October 2026, having received price approval from the Ministry of Finance (BAT Japan official release, Mynavi News). The products covered are as follows.

• neo: 530 JPY → 570 JPY (+40 JPY)
• KENT: 520 JPY → 550 JPY (+30 JPY)
• LUCKY STRIKE: 480 JPY → 500 JPY (+20 JPY)
• virto (for glo Hilo): 580 JPY → 600 JPY (+20 JPY)

The difference between "approval pending" and "approved": how to read the list

Under Article 33 of the Tobacco Business Act, the retail price of manufactured tobacco must be approved by the Minister of Finance for each product. Under Article 36, paragraph 1 of the same Act, retailers may not sell manufactured tobacco other than at the approved retail price. In other words, "announcing or applying for an increase" and "the price being fixed" are not the same thing — the shelf price is fixed only once approval is granted.

In the list in this article, the stage of approval as of August 2026 differs by company.

• JT (all 31 Ploom brands): applied on 15 July 2026 → approved on 5 August 2026 (revision on 1 October 2026)
• Philip Morris Japan (54 IQOS brands): approval pending
• BAT Japan (glo sticks): announced on 18 August 2026 with approval from the Ministry of Finance

Especially for the brands under application, the listed prices are planned prices premised on approval. Check each manufacturer's official announcement for final prices.

Why prices rise in October 2026: the second stage of the heated tobacco tax reform

The background to these increases is the second stage of the heated tobacco tax reform taking effect on 1 October 2026. Under the Ministry of Finance "FY2025 Tax Reform Outline," the tax base for heated tobacco — how it is converted into cigarette equivalents — has been revised, and the new conversion method (0.35 grams per cigarette equivalent for stick-type products, in which tobacco leaf is wrapped in paper or similar material, and 0.2 grams per cigarette equivalent for other types) applies at 100% from 1 October 2026.

The first stage (50% application of the new conversion method) was implemented on 1 April 2026, so 2026 is a year in which the tax burden on heated tobacco changes in stages twice, in April and October. The manufacturers' price revisions respond to this tax change.

For details of the system, including how the conversion method works and the two-stage schedule, see the explanation of the October 2026 heated tobacco tax change.

Cigarettes are not covered this time: the cigarette tax rate rises in three steps from April 2027

The tax change on 1 October 2026 targets heated tobacco; cigarettes are not covered. As of the time of writing (24 August 2026), we have not confirmed any announcement of cigarette brand price increases for October 2026.

For cigarettes, under the Ministry of Finance "FY2025 Tax Reform Outline," the national tobacco tax rate is scheduled to rise in three steps from April 2027.

• Statutory rate: 6,802 JPY per 1,000 cigarettes
• 1 April 2027: 7,302 JPY per 1,000 cigarettes
• 1 April 2028: 7,802 JPY per 1,000 cigarettes
• 1 April 2029: 8,302 JPY per 1,000 cigarettes

However, this concerns tax amounts. When and by how much the shelf prices of cigarette brands are revised is determined by each company's approval application and announcement.

For current price levels of cigarettes and heated tobacco and how to buy them, see the guide to cigarette prices and buying in Japan.

For visitors to Japan: note the shelf prices from October 2026

If you visit Japan on or after 1 October 2026, the shelf prices of heated tobacco sticks may have been revised as listed in this article. In Japan you will be asked to confirm you are 20 or older when buying tobacco, and a passport is accepted as identification. For accurate prices, check the price displays at convenience stores and tobacco shops.

For the differences between IQOS, glo and Ploom devices and brands, and the rules on where they may be used in Japan, see the IQOS, glo and Ploom heated tobacco guide.

If rising prices prompt you to reconsider smoking

The price increases may prompt some people to reconsider their smoking habit. In Japan, some medical institutions provide smoking cessation outpatient services, and some municipalities operate health consultation desks. These are one option among others; for whether they are suitable for you and what they involve, consult a specialist such as a doctor or pharmacist. This article does not claim the effectiveness of any particular method.

If you continue to smoke, complying with the law and with municipal rules is the baseline. Under the revised Health Promotion Act (fully in force since 1 April 2020), indoor areas of facilities used by many people are in principle non-smoking, and many municipalities have ordinances on street smoking. When you smoke, use a designated smoking location.

Find places where smoking is permitted with MottoSuitai

However prices change, the rules on where tobacco may be used follow the revised Health Promotion Act and each municipality's ordinance. To find places where smoking is permitted, you can list nearby smoking areas from MottoSuitai's map. For how the tax system works, see the explanation of the October 2026 heated tobacco tax change; for the overall picture of tobacco prices in Japan, the guide to cigarette prices and buying in Japan.

Finally: check final prices with each manufacturer and at points of sale

This is a third-party explanation compiled from the manufacturers' announcements and press reports published as of 24 August 2026 and from Ministry of Finance and National Tax Agency materials. The JT and Philip Morris Japan prices are planned prices under application and may change depending on the approval process. Check each manufacturer's official announcement and shelf displays for final prices, and the official materials of the Ministry of Finance (https://www.mof.go.jp/) and the National Tax Agency (https://www.nta.go.jp/) for details of the tax system.