Japan Tobacco (JT) will expand brick-and-mortar sales of Ploom TECH to Tokyo in late June and expects to launch its tobacco heater nationwide in the first half of next year, the company said.

Extending sales to the Japanese capital from 29 June will occur in phases, starting with establishment of “several” Ploom shops and sales in selected tobacco outlets. By 10 July, Ploom TECH and three variants of the Mevius tobacco capsules used by the device will be available in nearly 100 tobacco shops, the cigarette maker said.
“JT is aiming to be the leader in the tobacco vapour products market in Japan,” the company said. Expanding production capacity is “the first priority” ahead of the nationwide launch in 2018.