The invention and popularization of tobacco has brought a new way of stress relief to people around the world.
There are no shortage of smokers globally, and countries have reaped huge profits from tobacco.
However, it is strange to note that among several major Asian countries, there is a significant disparity in tobacco revenue in the first quarter of 2024.
Japan's tobacco revenue in the first quarter exceeded 36 billion RMB, while South Korea's was a mere 6.837 billion.
So, how about China, which boasts 350 million smokers and is said to have enough to fund the construction of aircraft carriers?
In terms of tobacco consumption, Japan's market position in Asia and even the world is undeniable.
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In recent years, Japanese domestic cigarette brands have occupied a significant share in the global market.
Japanese tobacco products have not suffered from a decline in sales due to increased taxes; various types of cigarettes are very popular in Japan.
As a neighbor of China, the history of China's and Japan's tobacco markets and development have some subtle relationships.
After all, they are close neighbors, and there might even be blood relations.
Japanese tobacco appeared in the 16th century, with trade and cultural exchanges with Portugal.
In 1543, when the Portuguese were exploring the world, they discovered Japan.
They then opened up trade routes and began trade with Japan.
It was through such exchanges that some Western specialty items officially entered the public view in Japan, including tobacco.
Even domestic turmoil did not affect Japan's trade with other countries.
Besides firearms and cannons that could turn the tide of war, their favorites were cigarettes and fine wines.
The development of tobacco in South Korea has been even more challenging.
They were exposed to tobacco later than Japan, which was first exported to Japan by the Portuguese and then flowed into South Korea.
South Korea's tobacco market has always been struggling to survive in the market niches.
Initially, it was controlled by the state, and the South Korean market only had domestic cigarettes.
After the state-owned enterprises became private, a large number of international brands flooded into the South Korean market.
However, it is worth mentioning that South Korea's slim cigarettes are known worldwide and have been paired with various flavors, which were loved by many women for a while.
Chinese cigarettes, on the other hand, appeared during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, which was in the mid-17th century.
At that time, they were not called cigarettes, and the specific name is still under investigation.
It can be seen that the cigarettes in China, Japan, and South Korea were basically introduced from the Americas during that period, but the development of national tobacco control is different, which is why there is a significant gap.
So, what is South Korea's tobacco revenue in the first quarter?
South Korea's cigarette development can be said to be fraught with difficulties, but this has not stopped the development of South Korea's tobacco industry.
It was not until the first slim cigarette went global that South Korea's tobacco industry finally saw a new dawn.
South Korea's research and invention of slim cigarettes were because they keenly grasped the local consumer's smoking habits.
They like to pursue new things while paying great attention to their own health.
Therefore, to meet market demand, South Korea's tobacco began to develop cigarettes with low tar and added as little as possible in terms of shape and tobacco content.
In 1996, South Korea's tobacco launched the slim cigarette brand "ESSE (Aixi)" on the market.
To cater to the female market, the slender cigarette and pleasant fragrance became the top priority.
As soon as this type of cigarette was released, it instantly won the hearts of a large number of young people.
However, they were not satisfied with this and updated with various fruit flavors and new products with beads inside.
Similarly, the emergence of this new flavor once again swept the entire cigarette market, and the cigarettes produced would indicate the manufacturer and the person in charge's name to ensure that the quality of the cigarettes is traceable.
It can be said that South Korea's cigarette renewal and replacement have to some extent defended the dominant position of South Korea's domestic cigarettes in the domestic market.
After 1988, South Korea's specialty cigarettes began to be sold overseas, first choosing the Middle East, and now they are all over the world.
Now, "Aixi" has become the world's number one brand in Super Slim sales and is a representative of low-stimulus and mild cigarettes.
According to data, South Korea's tobacco revenue in the first quarter of 2024 was 1.29 trillion won, which is about 6.837 billion RMB.
Such a result is already very good for South Korea, after all, slim cigarettes are still unacceptable to most consumer groups.
So, how about Japan, the neighbor, in terms of tobacco revenue?
If you say where South Korea's cigarettes sell the best, I believe Japan should be able to take the lead.
After all, Japan has a large number of female smokers.
Statistics show that the proportion of female smokers in Japan has reached 7.7%, which is due to the customs of this male-dominated country.
Most Japanese women have a lower status in the family after marriage, so they have no place to release their troubles and can only numb their nerves through cigarettes.
Moreover, the age group of Japanese smokers is very broad, from students to the elderly, almost every age group has people who smoke.
Therefore, Japan's tobacco market can be said to be bright.
In the first quarter of 2024, Japan's tobacco revenue has reached 7403 billion yen, which is about 362 billion RMB, a year-on-year increase of 11.3%.
This growth rate is quite surprising.
Faced with such a huge group of smokers, Japan once issued anti-smoking measures in the hope of reducing the number of smokers.
However, the results are not very good.
As China, which was invaded by tobacco at the same time, what kind of eye-catching results will it bring in terms of tobacco revenue?
Since the introduction of tobacco in China during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, the enthusiasm of the whole people for tobacco has once reached its peak.
From the royal family to the common people, they would take the corresponding utensils and smoke two clouds in their spare time.
With the change of the times, China's tobacco industry has ushered in a historical transformation.
In 1982, the China Tobacco Bureau was established, and China implemented a systematic management of the tobacco industry.
With the continuous development of tobacco, the quality of cigarettes is getting better and better, but the price is also getting more and more expensive.
Many cigarettes have increased in price and are out of stock.
In the first quarter of 2024, China's tobacco revenue reached an amazing 521.98 billion yuan, which is more than Japan and South Korea combined.
The reason why there is so much tobacco revenue is all due to the contribution of China's 350 million smokers.
It is important to know that China's tobacco tax is 80%.
So, in the first quarter alone, the tax brought by tobacco alone is a considerable figure.
However, the country has started to implement a series of measures to reduce the size of the smoker population, and reducing the production of cigarettes is one of the most important aspects.
The warning that smoking is harmful to health on the cigarette box is not just a simple reminder, but also a country's care and love for its people.
In the adult world, there is too much pressure that has nowhere to be released.
Only by quietly smoking a cigarette can the suppressed emotions be released.
However, cigarettes will indeed cause irreversible damage to the body, not to mention the secondhand smoke that is forced to be inhaled, which will also cause damage to the human body.
So, for the sake of your own and your family's health, reduce the frequency of smoking and truly love yourself and your family more.