JTI

According to Ukrainska Pravda, Russian strikes on the Kyiv region during the night of Aug. 4-5, 2026, damaged warehouses storing products of Japan Tobacco International (JTI) and Imperial Brands Ukraine. JTI said a finished goods warehouse in Kyiv Oblast was destroyed, with no employees injured, and that it did not expect disruptions to retail supplies. Imperial Brands Ukraine said products stored at warehouses of distributors and retail partners were affected and estimated losses from the strikes at “tens of millions of Ukrainian hryvnias” (roughly hundreds of thousands of U.S. dollars).

JT’s Ploom heated-tobacco volumes rose 43.5% in the first half of 2026, while combustibles still represented about 97% of its tobacco volume and remained the main earnings base. In Japan, reduced-risk products now account for 48.7% of industry shipments, shifting competition from category adoption towards brand share, pricing and consumer retention. JT’s results offer a revealing case of a traditional tobacco company pursuing a prolonged, dual-track transformation.

Japan Tobacco International (JTI) is expanding its Ploom heated product ecosystem with LYO tobacco-free nicotine sticks. Designed specifically for Ploom devices, LYO contains nicotine but no tobacco. Public information shows that the product has gradually entered several European markets, including Spain, Portugal and Germany, and was officially introduced in Romania in July 2026. The launch highlights JTI’s efforts to explore broader nicotine consumable formats beyond traditional tobacco-based sticks.

Japan’s plan to remove the lower tax rate for heated tobacco products could slow growth in the country’s largest HTP market, JTI’s CFO said. Retail prices may rise by 70 to 100 yen, though the company plans phased increases to soften the impact.

JTI expands sales of "Ploom X Advanced" heating tobacco device to Coupang and Naver platforms for broader consumer access.

In an exclusive interview with 2Firsts, Ian Jones, Vice President of the R&D Scientific Product Assessment Center at JTI, discussed the company’s approach to advancing tobacco harm reduction (THR) and the evolving landscape of reduced-risk products (RRPs). From oral nicotine delivery systems to heated tobacco products, Jones highlighted JTI’s scientific priorities and the challenges faced by the industry.

JT collaborates with Novelbright to release "Ploom X Front Panel Novelbright Model" for 6000 consumers through a giveaway event.

Japanese Tobacco (JT) will launch two new Ploom X Advanced pods, Camel Purple Option and Camel Menthol Fresh, starting October 1.