Japan Tobacco Sponsors Major Sporting Events

Those who visit Japan are always surprised by the numerous cigarette advertisements that have long been prohibited in the majority of countries. Advertisement at various sporting events, seem quite inappropriate. For instance at volleyball matches, which are very popular in Japan, tobacco advertisements are seen everywhere. Despite the fact that that Japan has never won on the world’s stage since 1976, it has hosted the World Cup of Volleyball every four years since 1977, mostly due to significant funding from such sponsors as Japan Tobacco.

Stadiums are often empty there are sometimes even less than 100 fans. This year Japan team members wore a Japan Tobacco logo on their clothes. Japan and other nations have played in front of a digital billboard that featured the greet JT mark. The JT logo was depicted on free packages that were handed to fans, including children. The package contained a booklet demonstrating Japan Tobacco’s national league teams, and the picture of Yoshie Takeshita – famous volleyball player wearing the JT logo on her t-shirt.

Japan Tobacco states that it “operates in conformity with all laws in Japan,” where 40% of men and 10% of women smoke.“Japan Tobacco is also considered a powerful sponsor in the beverage category, as it also has a division selling drinks,” Hiroshi Takeuchi, a veteran Kyodo News sportswriter said in the press conference. Those smokers who come to Japan in order to smoke lower priced cigarettes and enjoy the freedom to light up their smokes in various establishments do not consider that it is something wrong in all this situation with JT, whose stock value constituted 30% this year. Also they underlined that JT is investing in various events that need funding.

TV also broadcasts Japan Tobacco images around the world during the FIVB World Cup of Volleyball in Tokyo. “I think that it is a real nonsense. It doesn’t matter that Japan Tobacco is doing some good things; we all know that its main business is tobacco. Their main objective are young people, that is why the sponsor the majority of sporting events,” said Dr. Manabu Sakuta, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Japan Society for Tobacco Control.
According to the Japan's Ministry of Health the number of smokers in Japan is increasing, only 33% of men said that they never lighted up. The World Health Organization declared that Japan must comply with a treaty it adopted in 2004 along with other states, when signing the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which prohibits all tobacco advertising and sponsorship.