Japan Tobacco sees no quick solution to shortage of its heated device

Tokyo

THE capacity constraints that have dogged the domestic launch of Japan Tobacco Inc's heated tobacco device will take a while yet to resolve, according to a company executive, handing a further boost to Philip Morris International Inc in the world's most advanced market for next-generation tobacco products.

Japan Tobacco underestimated the level of demand for its Ploom Tech device since releasing the product in March in its home market, Yasuhiro Nakajima, vice-president of emerging products, said in an interview. The cigarette maker is spending tens of billions of yen to relieve the capacity constraints that are preventing it from selling Ploom Tech nationwide.