Cigarette Sales in Japan Up 88% Before Tax Rise - To Drop Off Cliff After

Yesterday, I went to the store to buy two packs of cigarettes for my friends. They were ¥440 yen per pack! I quit smoking when they were ¥300 (or so). I was shocked at how expensive one pack has become!

Now, the news comes out that, n the month before a hefty tax on cigarettes came into effect, sales of cigarettes jumped 88%!

From Japan Times:


Cigarette sales in September jumped 88.0 percent from a year before to 37.4 billion cigarettes as the largest-ever tobacco tax hike on Oct. 1 spurred last-minute buying, according to the Finance Ministry. The ministry said this may be the sharpest increase ever and it is paying attention to the possible blow tobacco farmers and retailers may suffer in and after October.


Of course that is going to happen before a large increase, but my two friends both told me that they used to smoke  2 1/2 packs a day. Now, they smoke less than a pack a day.


I guess that just goes to prove that, when taxes are raised, in the long run, sales will decline. Look for tobacco sales to drop off a cliff until at least next year; people are cutting down now because of the price increases and the really smart ones will get fed up with the tax nonsense and quit.


But, as we know, the fools running our government never learn for the past. 

Marketing Japan: Japan's Financial Disaster Coming Soon

This blog is about Marketing for Japan and also about interesting tidbits about Japan for your enjoyment. Now, I don't usually blog about so much financial information and news as such, but something has just come across my desk that I just cannot stay silent about.

From this morning's Japan Times:

National debt hits 190% of GDP at ¥900 trillion

The outstanding balance of the central government's debt reached a record high ¥904.08 trillion at the end of June amid massive bond issuances and declining tax revenue, Finance Ministry data showed Tuesday. It is the first time the debt balance, including government bonds and financing bills, has topped ¥900 trillion. Per capita debt came to around ¥7.10 million based on Japan's estimated population of about 127.42 million as of July 1. 

This is just total and complete insanity by the government. Of course, anyone who can read between the lines can see how this does effect every aspect of life in Japan including future works and economic aspects as well as how this will effect marketing in this country and life in general.

That ¥7.10 million per capita debt comes out to around $83, 172 (USD) per man, woman, and child owed in red ink the country of Japan. That means that if every single man, woman and child paid $83,172 dollars right now, we'd pay off our national debt - but be back into immediate debt by tomorrow due to interest on that debt! This is crazy. 

Now, on top of that, the Keynesian idiots in the government want to raise consumption taxes (sales tax) from 5% to 10%!? Morons.


There is no way out of this mess that the government has gotten us into except to either declare bankruptcy or repudiate debt. But you won't hear anyone talk about the 800-pound gorilla in the room. Things are bad enough now with 15.7% of the Japanese public below the poverty line. What is there that can be done? Raising taxes!? We are already taxed to death! The people have been squeezed and can be squeezed no more!

Of course, we never hear any ideas from the government about shutting down unwanted "services" like massive government run organizations that are basically a social jobs network for retired government workers (like meter maids). 


How about we start by slashing government employees pay and staff by 50% and ending all overseas "self-defense" missions and war-games training today?

The end of this financial mess is coming soon enough. No country in the history of mankind has ever survived this sort of Fiat money expansion that the Japanese government is currently involved in... 

The Romans couldn't do it. The Germans couldn't do it. Japan hasn't been able to do it over these last 20 years (the USA certainly is trying but will fail too)...

The only option for you, dear reader, is to get out of debt ASAP and protect your investments with commodities like gold, silver or oil.  


If you are interested, here is one of the best places to buy gold in Tokyo. 

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Keywords: debt, sales tax, keynesian, consumption tax,