Impacts of revised smoke-free regulations under the 2020 Japan Health Promotion Act on cigarette smoking and heated tobacco product use in indoor public places and homes: findings from 2018 to 2021 International Tobacco Control (ITC) Japan Surveys.

Background: In April 2020, Japan's revised Health Promotion Act (HPA) banned cigarette smoking and heated tobacco products (HTP) use in indoor public places but exempted small establishments and permitted smoking-designated/HTP-designated rooms. This pre-post study evaluated the effectiveness of the HPA.

Methods: Data were from waves 1 to 4 (2018-2021) of the International Tobacco Control Japan Surveys among a national cohort of adults who smoke cigarettes, use HTPs and do not use any tobacco products.

Awareness of Marketing of Heated Tobacco Products and Cigarettes and Support for Tobacco Marketing Restrictions in Japan: Findings from the 2018 International Tobacco Control (ITC) Japan Survey.

Japan is one of the world's largest cigarette markets and the top heated tobacco product (HTP) market. No forms of tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship (TAPS) are banned under national law, although the industry has some voluntary TAPS restrictions. This study examines Japanese tobacco users' self-reported exposure to cigarette and HTP marketing through eight channels, as well as their support for TAPS bans.

Reasons for Regularly Using Heated Tobacco Products among Adult Current and Former Smokers in Japan: Finding from 2018 ITC Japan Survey.

The market growth of heated tobacco products (HTPs), such as IQOS, Ploom TECH, and glo, has increased dramatically in Japan since 2016. Little is known about the reasons why current and former smokers are using HTPs. The data for this cross-sectional study were from the 2018 (Wave 1) International Tobacco Control (ITC) Japan Survey, a national web-based survey of 4500 people, including 658 current HTP users, of whom 549 were concurrently smoking cigarettes and 109 were former smokers.

Survey Methods of the 2018 International Tobacco Control (ITC) Japan Survey.

This paper describes the methods of the Wave 1 (2018) International Tobacco Control (ITC) Japan Survey. The respondents were adults aged 20 years and older in one of four user groups: (1) cigarette-only smokers who smoked at least monthly and used heated tobacco products (HTPs) not at all or less than weekly, (2) HTP-only users who used HTPs at least weekly and smoked cigarettes not at all or less than monthly, (3) cigarette-HTP dual users who smoked at least monthly and used HTPs at least weekly, and (4) non-users who had never smoked or who smoked less than monthly and used HTPs less than weekly. Eligible respondents were recruited by a commercial survey firm from its online panel.

Perceptions of Harmfulness of Heated Tobacco Products Compared to Combustible Cigarettes among Adult Smokers in Japan: Findings from the 2018 ITC Japan Survey.

In Japan, the tobacco industry promotes heated tobacco products (HTPs) as a reduced-risk tobacco product. This study examines: (1) smokers' harm perceptions of HTPs relative to combustible cigarettes; (2) differences in relative harm perceptions between exclusive smokers and smokers who use HTPs (concurrent users) and between concurrent users based on frequency of product use; and (3) if smokers who were exposed to HTP advertising hold beliefs that are consistent with marketing messages of lower harmfulness. This cross-sectional study included 2614 adult exclusive cigarette smokers and 986 concurrent users who reported their perceptions of harmfulness of HTPs compared to cigarettes, as well as their exposure to HTP advertising in the last six months.

Concurrent Daily and Non-Daily Use of Heated Tobacco Products with Combustible Cigarettes: Findings from the 2018 ITC Japan Survey.

Use of heated tobacco products (HTPs) among current smokers is becoming increasingly popular in Japan. This study aims to compare characteristics and tobacco-related behaviors among concurrent users of HTPs and combustible cigarettes ( = 644) with exclusive smokers ( = 3194) or exclusive HTP users ( = 164). The secondary aim was to explore heterogeneity within concurrent use subgroups.

Secondhand Smoke Exposure in Public Places and Support for Smoke-Free Laws in Japan: Findings from the 2018 ITC Japan Survey.

Comprehensive smoke-free policies such as those called for by the WHO FCTC are the only way to protect the public effectively from the harms of secondhand smoke (SHS), yet Japan has been slow to implement this important health measure. This study examines baseline levels of smoking and SHS exposure in public places and support for smoking bans in Japan prior to the implementation of the 2018 national smoke-free law. Data are from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Japan Wave 1 Survey (Feb-Mar 2018), a web survey of adult cigarette smokers, heated tobacco product users, dual users, and non-users (total = 4684).

Effectiveness of Text-Only Cigarette Health Warnings in Japan: Findings from the 2018 International Tobacco Control (ITC) Japan Survey.

Health warnings are an effective strategy for communicating the health harms of smoking, encouraging quitting, and preventing smoking initiation. This study examines the effectiveness of existing text-only health warnings, identifies key predictors of warning effectiveness, and assesses support for pictorial warnings in Japan. Data are from the 2018 International Tobacco Control (ITC) Japan Survey, a cohort survey of adult cigarette smokers (n = 3306), dual users of cigarettes and heated tobacco products (n = 555), and non-cigarette smokers (n = 823).

Use of Heated Tobacco Products within Indoor Spaces: Findings from the 2018 ITC Japan Survey.

Although heated tobacco products (HTPs) have become increasingly popular in Japan, little is known about whether these emerging tobacco products are being used within indoor public spaces. Nationally representative data were obtained prior to implementation of a comprehensive smoke-free law in Japan as part of Wave 1 of the International Tobacco Control Japan Survey (February-March 2018). We estimated the weighted prevalence of HTP use within indoor public spaces among tobacco users and compared these to estimates for combustible cigarettes (CCs).

Prevalence, Use Behaviors, and Preferences among Users of Heated Tobacco Products: Findings from the 2018 ITC Japan Survey.

Heated tobacco products (HTPs), such as IQOS, glo, and Ploom TECH, with a variety of flavored tobacco-containing inserts, have reportedly achieved a significant market share in Japan. We analyzed data from Wave 1 of the ITC Japan Survey, a nationally representative web survey conducted in February to March 2018 among 4684 adult participants to estimate the prevalence of HTP use, describe characteristics of HTP users, and explore user preferences for HTP device and flavor. The overall prevalence of monthly HTP use was 2.

[Global trends of tobacco control and fostering a tobacco free generation].

Japan ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control(FCTC) in 2004, with the aim to catch up with the global trends of tobacco control in order to save billions of lives worldwide which would be eventually lost without our concerted actions against tobacco epidemic. Some countries with a half century's history of tobacco control are further advancing their efforts beyond the limitations of FCTC but more countries are following the directions of FCTC to lift up their policies to the global standard levels such as smokefree legislations and pictorial health warnings. The recently adopted UN political declaration on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is another tool to highlight tobacco as a common risk factor of NCDs in the global health agenda.

Smoking prevalence and beliefs on smoking cessation among members of the Japanese Cancer Association in 2006 and 2010.

Smoking is a significant contributing factor to disease-related deaths worldwide. Members of the Japanese Cancer Association (JCA) can play a leading role in helping people to live tobacco-free through social action. In 2010, this study assessed smoking prevalence among JCA members and their attitudes toward smoking, smoking cessation, and their responsibilities.