Japanese Tobacco
A history of nationalization, privatization, and regulation of Japanese tobacco.
Contents
History
The Leaf Tobacco Monopoly Law of 1898 established a state monopoly over tobacco leaves.
In 1904, the Monopoly Bureau was established to implement end-to-end monopoly of tobacco and tobacco products.
The next year, the Japan Tobacco and Salt Public Corporation (日本専売公社, Nihon Senbai Kousha) was established and granted a monopoly over both tobacco and salt. Formally, this was a tokushu houjin supervised by the monopoly bureau.
In 1949, it was reformed into a new tokushu gaisha, the Japan Tobacco and Salt Company.
The tobacco monopoly was abolished in 1985 under Nakasone. Japan Tobacco (日本たばこ産業, Nihon Tabako Sangyou) was established and privatized.