Sales In Japan Research Articles

Transformation of the tobacco product market in Japan, 2011–2023

ObjectiveThis study updates a previous paper that examined trends in the sale of cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs) in Japan between 2011 and part way through 2019. The current study includes complete unit sales data through 2023.MethodsData on cigarette and HTP sales were obtained from public sources available from the websites and stockholder reports for the Tobacco Institute of Japan, Philip Morris International and Japan Tobacco. We used joinpoint regression using the parametric method to test for trends in both per capita and total sales for the three outcome variables assessed between 2011 and 2023: (1) cigarette sales, (2) HTP sales and (3) combined cigarette and HTP sales. Joinpoint regression identifies changes in trends and estimates the annual per cent change (APC) for each trend segment.ResultsBetween 2011 and 2023, per capita and total cigarette sales declined by 52.6% and 52.7%, respectively. From 2011 to 2015, per capita cigarette sales in Japan decreased −1.5% APC; from 2015 to 2018, the decline accelerated to −10.5% APC and continued to fall −7.3% APC between 2018 and 2023. Between 2016 and 2018, per capita HTP sales increased by 149.0% APC, and since 2018, they have increased by 8.1% APC.ConclusionWhile many factors may account for the decreased sale of cigarettes in Japan over the past 12 years, the increased sale of HTPs appears to be a factor.

Impact of a new regulatory policy on thematic and monthly distribution funds in Japan

The Japan Financial Services Agency (JFSA), the country’s financial regulatory body, is concerned with business conduct surrounding mutual fund sales in Japan, especially regarding thematic and monthly distribution funds. The agency introduced a new regulatory policy in 2015 to encourage competition to provide high-quality, customer-oriented financial products and services. Unlike traditional regulation, this policy is based on the comply-or-explain approach, which does not mandate compliance. We utilize a difference-in-differences (DID) approach to examine whether this policy induces changes in the behavior of fund distributors regarding the promotion of these funds. We find that the effectiveness of the policy is not uniform. The policy has a limited impact on reducing fund flows and the size of thematic and monthly distribution funds among active funds, which include equity, bond, and balanced funds. By contrast, we find some evidence that the policy has reduced the fund flows and the size of equity thematic and monthly distribution funds relative to low-cost equity index funds. We find that the comply-or-explain approach alone may not suffice to regulate these fund sales, as distributors and managers can pursue their own interests. In addition, the effectiveness of the approach also depends on investors’ behavior, which may be hindered by a lack of sophistication in understanding the characteristics of these funds.

Evaluating trends in cigarette and HTP use in Japan and measurement issues in the National Health and Nutrition Survey

IntrodutionStudies have reported that the rapid rise in heated tobacco product (HTP) sales in Japan accompanied an accelerated decline in cigarette sales. However, these studies do not distinguish whether those...

Environmental consequences of Japan's ban on sale of new fossil fuel-powered passenger vehicles from 2035

Despite the recent increase in vehicle electrification, the transport sector remains a major contributor to the rise in global CO2 emissions. Using dynamic product lifecycle (LC) models, we analyzed the relationship between LC-CO2 emissions and the proportion of electric vehicle (EV) sales in Japan, where the introduction of EVs could increase LC-CO2 emissions. We considered the contributions of vehicle fuel efficiency and vehicle lifetime to LC-CO2 emissions under three scenarios—changes in sales, improvements in fuel efficiency, and changes in vehicle lifetimes. Our findings show that promoting EVs and decarbonization in the electricity sector will decrease CO2 emissions during the driving phase. However, even if the energy mix follows the net zero emission target, emissions from the vehicle manufacturing phase will largely remain, and the manufacturing emissions from electric will account for over 50% of the total emissions in 2050, even when the vehicle lifetime is extended by 5 years. Although the decarbonization of the power sector and vehicle electrification are important steps toward reducing LC-CO2 emissions, they are insufficient. Thus, to reduce LC-CO2 emissions, including those from the manufacturing phase, the Japanese government needs to focus on decarbonizing the supply chain and extending vehicle lifetime, especially that of EVs, as well as reducing driving phase emissions.

Japanese earnings slumped in fiscal 2022

Japanese chemical companies ground through a tough fiscal year 2022. For the period, which ended March 31, sales rose for nearly every major firm, but earnings were down almost across the board as companies grappled with sluggish economic conditions and rising costs for energy and raw materials . Sumitomo Chemical saw its profits decline over 95%, even as sales rose nearly 5%. In its earnings statement, the company blames a poor global economy compared with 2021: “Although the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic eased, economic growth was held back by such factors as global monetary tightening to control inflation and a delay in the recovery of China’s economy.” Sales in Japan benefited from a rise in consumer spending, Sumitomo says, but high raw-material prices weighed on earnings. The company saw strength in materials for semiconductor fabrication but weakness in those for displays. Mitsubishi Chemical Group says the global economy “continued

Rice Cooking in Japan

The rice cooker is one of the most globally successful products to have emerged from Japan’s postwar manufacturing sector. It remains popular today, with exports especially to Asian countries continuously expanding in recent decades, even as production and sales in Japan have remained stable during the same period. From the first commercially viable and simple rice-boiling machine in 1956, the rice cooker today has evolved into a state-of-the-art, AI (artificial intelligence)-enabled kitchen equipment with a host of cognitive and technological functions. Not only can current rice cookers cook ‘perfect’ white rice as favoured by the Japanese, they can also make almost every other rice dish as well as soups, meat and vegetable dishes, pasta, breads, cakes, and many others. This paper traces the evolution and major transformations of the rice cooker from its invention in the pre-war period to its development today, and correlates these transformations with shifts in the Japanese diet, especially with regard to rice consumption. While rice is historically considered its most important food, Japan’s attitudes towards it have changed significantly in the past century. Rice consumption rates especially have shifted, as it is now less than half compared to peak levels in the 1960s. Throughout these changes in rice consumption and the Japanese diet, the rice cooker’s functions and roles have diversified accordingly, even as it has developed into a most technically-advanced and inordinately expensive household equipment that continues to be a significant player in Japanese food culture.

Impact of reimbursement restriction on drug market sales under the National Health Insurance in Japan

Aim National health care expenditures have been increasing each year, although the Japanese government has annually revised official drug prices. Managing the health care system to pay for expensive drugs is a major concern. The reimbursement restriction, which is the only way that a drug can be implemented before market entry in Japan, is crucial for managing expenditures. Therefore, this study identifies the impact of the reimbursement restriction on drug market sales in Japan, particularly in the situation where health technology assessment or other market access regulations are not applicable before market entry. Method All new drugs listed in fiscal years 2011–2019, along with their market size forecast, were identified using the materials from the Central Social Insurance Medical Council. We then calculated the percentage rate of reimbursement amounts based on the National Database of Health Insurance Claims relative to the predicted market size as a dependent variable. Using the reimbursement restriction for each drug as an independent variable, we performed descriptive and univariate analyses on each variable, followed by generalized linear mixed-effects model regression analysis. Results We identified 211 drugs. The mean rates of drugs that required physicians, facilities, and patients to meet criteria for use were 30.85% (n = 2), 31.42% (n = 2), and 72.11% (n = 6), respectively. The mean rate of drugs that required diagnostic testing was 22.99% (n = 7), which was 3.7 times lower than the rate of drugs that did not require such testing (p < .05). Conclusion Our results indicate that the reimbursement restriction requiring diagnostic testing has a substantial impact on decreasing market sales. As the number of cases for each requirement is small, further study is needed to measure the impact of the other reimbursement restrictions.

Intimate genetic relationships and fungicide resistance in multiple strains of Aspergillus fumigatus isolated from a plant bulb.

SummaryFungal infections are increasingly dangerous because of environmentally dispersed resistance to antifungal drugs. Azoles are commonly used antifungal drugs, but they are also used as fungicides in agriculture, which may enable enrichment of azole‐resistant strains of the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus in the environment. Understanding of environmental dissemination and enrichment of genetic variation associated with azole resistance in A. fumigatus is required to suppress resistant strains. Here, we focused on eight strains of azole‐resistant A. fumigatus isolated from a single tulip bulb for sale in Japan. This set includes strains with TR34/L98H/T289A/I364V/G448S and TR46/Y121F/T289A/S363P/I364V/G448S mutations in the cyp51A gene, which showed higher tolerance to several azoles than strains harbouring TR46/Y121F/T289A mutation. The strains were typed by microsatellite typing, single nucleotide polymorphism profiles, and mitochondrial and nuclear genome analyses. The strains grouped differently using each typing method, suggesting historical genetic recombination among the strains. Our data also revealed that some strains isolated from the tulip bulb showed tolerance to other classes of fungicides, such as QoI and carbendazim, followed by related amino acid alterations in the target proteins. Considering spatial–temporal factors, plant bulbs are an excellent environmental niche for fungal strains to encounter partners, and to obtain and spread resistance‐associated mutations.

Phantom Demand and the Sake Market

This article examines sake consumption patterns in Hong Kong and reports on a study that seeks to determine if the market can be grown. Hong Kong is one of the major export markets for sake, driven largely by the popularity of Japanese restaurants. The Japanese Export and Trade Organizations (JETRO) is looking at ways to expand consumption as a means of overcoming the decline in sake sales in Japan. This study presents a cautionary tale of market research, for on the surface the study reveals the market could grow by at least 25%, and more importantly, the current price point is below what consumers are willing to pay. However, closer examination of the results suggests a much smaller growth potential for most of the people who consume sake do so once a month or less and usually in a restaurant setting. Increasing sales will require a change in overall dining and drinking behavior patterns, which will be difficult to achieve.

What drives willingness to purchase and stated buying behavior toward organic food? A Stimulus–Organism–Behavior–Consequence (SOBC) perspective

The consumption of organic food is gaining ground globally due to consumers’ concerns for personal health and food safety. Several countries, such as Japan, are turning their focus to promoting organic food consumption, but research is scarce on Japan’s organic food market. Additionally, despite consumers’ positive predisposition, retail sales in Japan for organic food are low, and there is a need to understand the reason for this disparity. The present study addressed this need by examining factors that may drive consumers’ willingness to purchase (WTP) and stated buying behavior (SBB) toward organic food through the Stimulus–Organism–Behavior–Consequence (SOBC) paradigm. The developed model was tested using cross-sectional data collected from 928 Japanese consumers. Study findings suggest that food safety concerns (FSC) and health consciousness are positively related to openness to change, and ethical self-identity. Further, openness to change and ethical self-identity are positively associated with WTP, while SBB is positively associated with WTP. In addition to this, buying frequency positively moderated the association of self-identity with WTP and WTP with SBB. The study offers critical implications for researchers, marketers and retailers.

Effect of IQOS introduction on cigarette sales: evidence of decline and replacement

BackgroundPhilip Morris International, one of the largest transnational cigarette manufacturers, has heavily invested in its new heated tobacco product, IQOS, marketing it aggressively as a less harmful alternative to cigarette...

What Is Accounting for the Rapid Decline in Cigarette Sales in Japan?

This study describes how trends in the sale of cigarettes in Japan between 2011 and 2019 correspond to the sales of heated tobacco products (HTPs) that were introduced into the Japanese market in late 2015. Data used for this study come from the Tobacco Institute of Japan and Philip Morris International. The findings show that the accelerated decline in cigarette only sales in Japan since 2016 corresponds to the introduction and growth in the sales of HTPs.

Analyzing Upward Deviation of Actual vs Predicted Drug Sales in Japan for a Reasonable Drug-Pricing Policy.

Predictions of drug sales play an important role in setting drug prices in Japan, where drug prices are highly regulated. One of 2 primary Japanese drug-pricing methodologies-the cost calculation method- refers extensively to the prediction of drug sales in establishing drug prices. Deviations from predicted sales can induce disproportionate drug prices and unexpected pharmaceutical expenditures. This study aimed to estimate the upward deviation of actual sales from predicted sales and to explore the predictors of such upward deviation. Estimates of upward deviation in 2015 were produced for new molecular entities (NMEs) approved in 2006-2015. To identify the predictors associated with upward deviation through binary logistic regression analyses, sales within 3 years of launch and in the predicted year in which peak sales would be reached were used. Estimated upward deviation was more than 1220 billion yen in 2015 for the targeted drugs. Drugs priced by the cost calculation method or by obtaining additional indications were significantly more likely to show an upward deviation from predicted peak sales. There is substantial upward deviation between actual and predicted drug sales in Japan. So long as drug sales predictions are used in drug price calculations, a flexible repricing system is needed to buffer unexpected pharmaceutical expenditures.

Pharmacological properties and clinical efficacy of rasagiline mesylate (Azilect®)

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that manifests as motor deficits, tremors, rigidity, and postural instability. The most prominent pathological feature of this disease is reduced striatal dopamine concentration due to the loss of nigrodopaminergic neurons. Symptomatic dopamine replacement therapy is the standard management approach for Parkinson's disease. Treatment with monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitors also improves Parkinson's disease symptoms by inhibiting the striatal dopamine metabolism and increasing the intracerebral dopamine concentration. Rasagiline is a potent and specific MAO-B inhibitor and is currently approved as an antiparkinsonian drug in more than 50 countries, including the United States and European countries. Clinical trials conducted in Japan to evaluate the efficacy of rasagiline monotherapy in patients with early-stage Parkinson's disease using the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part II (patient motor experience of daily living) and Part III (clinician motor examination) have demonstrated the antiparkinsonian action of rasagiline. Furthermore, in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease receiving levodopa, concomitant rasagiline administration reduced the duration of "wearing-off". Based on these favorable results, rasagiline mesilate (Azilect® tablets) was approved for manufacture and sales in Japan in March 2018. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the pharmacological properties and clinical effects of rasagiline based on the results of domestic trials, with the aim of increasing the understanding of rasagiline use in Japan.

Estimation of sales decrease caused by a disaster: Hokkaido blackout after earthquake in 2018

We simulate the inter-firm trading network which consists of approximately 1 million nodes, and we estimate the firm sales in Japan. We apply the gravity interaction model to the real Japanese inter-firm trading network to calculate the money transport between firms. Sales of each firm are evaluated through the scaling relation between the money flow and the sales, and then the total sales are calculated as an economic indicator. This calculation method is applicable to other situations. As an example, we present an estimation of sales decrease caused by the blackout due to the Hokkaido earthquake in September 6, 2018. The total sales are calculated in both cases: before and just after the earthquake. The total loss of sales is estimated as 35 billion yen per day for direct decrease in the firm sales in Hokkaido, while as 90 billion yen per day for indirect decrease in the other areas. The indirect sales decrease is about 2.6 times as well as the direct sales decrease.

1785. Regional Variation of Antimicrobial Use in Japan From 2013 to 2016

BackgroundSince antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat, judicious antimicrobial usage is required. Compared with European countries, antimicrobial use (AMU) is relatively low in Japan; however, the use of oral broad-spectrum antimicrobials is relatively high. Although the Japanese national action plan on AMR targets a 50% reduction in use of these oral broad-spectrum antimicrobials by 2020 from the level in 2013, regional variation in AMU in Japan is not well known.MethodsNational antimicrobial sales data from 2013 to 2016 was obtained from IQVIA Japan (Tokyo, Japan), which captures 99% of total sales in Japan. Antimicrobials were classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) defined Anatomical Therapeutic Chemicals (ATC) classification. WHO measures the number of antimicrobial use by Defined Daily Dose per 1,000 inhabitant-days (DID). From 2013 to 2016, the difference in DID amongst each prefecture was analyzed, and comparison amongst the three major regions of East, Central, and West Japan was performed using Mann–Whitney U test.ResultsFrom 2013 to 2016, the median (max, min) AMU (DID) change was −0.4 (2.8, −1.6). During the study period, 34 prefectures showed increasing trends and 13 prefectures showed decreasing trends. Median (max, min) AMU (DID) for total antimicrobials, oral cephalosporins, macrolides, and quinolones in 2016 was 14.4 (18.7, 11.2), 3.5 (6.9, 2.5), 4.5 (6.3, 3.2), and 2.8 (3.7, 1.9), respectively. The median total AMU (DID) in East, Central, and West Japan in 2016 was 13.2, 14.4, and 15.8, respectively. Median oral cephalosporins AMU (DID) in Central Japan (3.69) was significantly higher than that in East Japan (3.33) (P = 0.025). Median oral macrolides AMU (DID) in East Japan (4.11) was significantly smaller than that in Central (4.61) and West Japan (4.70) (P < 0.01). Median oral quinolones AMU (DID) in West Japan (3.28) was significantly higher than that in East (2.29) and Central Japan (2.73) (P < 0.01) (figure).ConclusionFrom 2013 to 2016, significant regional variations of oral AMU were observed in Japan. Further studies are needed to specify the appropriate targets of antimicrobial stewardship intervention to reduce oral broad-spectrum AMU in Japan. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Identification of Drug Characteristics for Implementing Multiregional Clinical Trials Including Japan

PurposeMultiregional clinical trials (MRCT) are a standard strategy used to improve global drug approval efficiency and the feasibility of clinical trials. Japan is the world's third largest drug market with a unique health care system, making it a key inclusion as an operational region for MRCT (MRCT-JP) for global drug development. We aimed to identify the factors required for efficient drug development by comprehensively reviewing the clinical trials of drugs approved in Japan to identify the factors associated with whether or not MRCT-JP is implemented. MethodsWe surveyed the review reports and summaries of application data published by the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency. We identified drugs for which the clinical trial data package included MRCT-JP and selected the same number of drugs for which the clinical trial data package did not include MRCT-JP from the most recent survey period for comparison. We also examined other publication information, in addition to the review reports, as necessary. The influence of each explanatory variable was analyzed by logistic regression analysis, with whether or not MRCT-JP was implemented as the explanatory variable. Statistical significance was set at 5%. FindingsIn the survey period up to September 2017, 165 drugs developed with MRCT-JP were approved for manufacture and sale in Japan. “Respiratory system,” “inhalation,” “biological drug,” and “under review” evaluation status for the United States, European Union, and other areas, “approved” evaluation status for the United States, “new ingredients,” “priority review,” “non-Japanese firm,” and “Top 1–10” and “Top 11–20” drug sales rankings for pharmaceutical companies were identified as potential factors leading to the implementation of MRCT-JP. In contrast, “general anti-infectives for systemic use,” “various,” “external,” “chemical compound,” “unsubmitted” evaluation status for both the United States and European Union, and “Top 51+” drug sales rankings were potential factors for not implementing MRCT-JP. ImplicationsTherapeutic classification and agent type, in addition to capital type and United States and European Union evaluation status suggested by a previous study, were associated with implementing MRCT-JP. It is important to determine the best way to utilize MRCT-JP to maximize the value of products. Our findings were based on successful cases and may therefore be helpful for designing clinical development plans. Appropriate use of MRCT-JP will improve productivity in the pharmaceutical industry.

A retrospective study of radiographic abnormalities in the repositories for Thoroughbreds at yearling sales in Japan

This study aimed to evaluate whether radiographic abnormalities at yearling sales were associated with the failure to start racing at 2–3 years of age. Radiographic abnormalities in the carpal (n=852), tarsal (n=976), metacarpophalangeal (n=1,055), and metatarsophalangeal joints (n=1,031) from 1,082 horses, recorded at yearling sale, were reviewed. Eighty-two horses (7.6%) failed to start racing. Radiographic abnormalities such as wedged or collapsed tarsal bones, irregular lucency of a sagittal ridge at the distal aspect of the distal third metatarsal bone, and proximal dorsal fragmentation of the first phalanx in metatarsophalangeal joints were associated with failure to start racing in these horses. In the follow-up survey of 12 horses with one or more these radiographic abnormalities, the horses failed to start racing due to reasons unrelated to these radiographic abnormalities such as pelvic fractures (2 horses), fracture of a distal phalanx (1 horse), cervical stenotic myelopathy and proximal sesamoid fracture (1 horse), superficial digital flexor tendonitis (2 horses), laryngeal hemiplegia (1 horse), economic problems (2 horses) and unknown causes (3 horses). Although radiographic abnormalities at yearling sales can be associated with failure to start racing at 2–3 years of age, these radiographically detected abnormalities might not necessarily cause that failure.

Survey on Metals Contained in Stainless Steel Kitchenware and Tableware.

Stainless steel kitchenware and tableware on sale in Japan were investigated. Surface elemental composition ratios of 172 samples were analyzed by the fluorescence X-ray method. High levels of manganese (9.59-20.03%)were detected in 17 samples. This finding was confirmed by ICP analysis. Next, we conducted migration tests. Samples conformed to the Italian Specific Migration Limits. Moreover, lead and antimony were not detected in these samples, in accordance with the Japanese Food Sanitation Law.

Analysis of spontaneous inquiries about suspected adverse drug reactions posted by the general public on the electronic Japanese bulletin board "Yahoo! Japan Chiebukuro".

PurposeSpontaneous inquiries about the development of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to medicines can be extracted based on the questions posted by the general public on the electronic Japanese bulletin board “Yahoo! Japan Chiebukuro”. Our aim was to clarify the characteristics related to people’s descriptions of suspected ADRs and determine the reasons for submitting a spontaneous inquiry.MethodsFifty brand names of medicines used for inquiry extraction were chosen by selecting 35 pharmaceutical products, based on the generic names that had the highest sales in Japan. Questions containing both the brand name of one of these medicines and the term “Fukusayō” (ADR in Japanese) that were posted from July 2004 to June 2009 were extracted from the site.ResultsAmong 1,419 questions extracted, 614 questions had at least one identifiable brand name of a suspected medicine, an ADR description, and the extent to which the ADR appeared to be caused by the suspected medicine(s). Among these 614 questions, 589 described in detail the symptoms/signs that the inquirers themselves or their families had experienced as ADRs. The highest number of questions was found for Paxil (525). Posts asking whether the symptoms being experienced were due to an ADR accounted for the highest number of questions. In most cases, the inquirer suspected that a single medicine led to an ADR and was seeking advice from others taking the same medicine.ConclusionOur examination of spontaneous inquiries showed that people have sufficient knowledge to adequately report potential ADRs in terms of their symptoms, suspected medicines, and the disease for which the medicine was used. However, they often did not describe the start time when the ADR appeared or when the suspected medicine was started.