Potential tax rise adds to Japan Tobacco woes
Japan Tobacco has already had its fair share of bad news this year. But the world's third-largest cigarette company, with brands such as Camel and Benson and Hedges, is likely to face further turbulence in the months ahead. The beleaguered JT began the year inauspiciously with a tainted food scare, which battered sales in its food division. Then came the launch of "Taspo' last month, an age verification card that aims to crack down on under-age smoking but is also expected to be a significant factor behind a forecast 5 per cent fall in JT's cigarette sales.