Japan Tobacco (JT) will boost investment in the brands, markets and products of its international subsidiary in the second half of 2015, the company said.

“Our international tobacco business has shown solid first half-year results amid a continuously challenging operating environment. In the second half of the year, we will accelerate our investments to further strengthen brand equity, geographic reach and emerging product portfolio,” said JT Chief Executive Officer Mitsuomi Koizumi.
In its domestic tobacco business, JT first-half adjusted operating profit gained 6.8 per cent to JPY 117.7 billion (EUR 865 million) although sales dipped 1 per cent, JT said. Volume contracted 3.7 per cent or 2 billion sticks to 53.1 billion sticks. Mevius products increased their share of the domestic market to 32.3 per cent in the three months to 30 June from 31.3 per cent.