[Intl-tobacco] Tobacco sales crash for second year (fwd)

[Robert Weissman]

Tobacco sales crash for second year
Source: Japan Today, Thursday, 4/26/01

 TOKYO — Some 324.5 billion cigarettes were sold in Japan in fiscal 2000,
a decrease of 7.7 billion from the previous year in the second consecutive
yearly fall, the Tobacco Institute of Japan said Tuesday.

The sales drop was due to price increases in many brands for the second
year and stagnant economic activity, said officials of the institute and
Japan Tobacco Inc, which holds the sole right to produce tobacco in Japan
even though it was privatized in 1985. (Kyodo News)