煙草在線據《日本時報》報道編譯　　日本三大卷煙制造商，包括卷煙巨頭日本煙草公司，現在處于決定他們將如何應對即將到來的消費稅上調的最后階段，他們也有可能不提高價格。

　　因為對于在自動售貨機上出售的產品，提價低于10日元是沒有意義的，各制造商將考慮三種可能的選擇：保持價格不變，或者在2014年4月消費稅提高5%-8%以后將價格提高10日元或20日元，業內人士周二（10月15日）表示。

　　他們說，為響應財政部的要求，各制造商計劃將所有產品合并銷售的整體價格上漲限制在3%。

　　到今年10月底，每家公司將向財政部提交一份修訂卷煙價格的計劃草案，包括每個品牌的提價幅度，日本財政部有權批準卷煙價格。

　　財政部上周末（10.12-13）向煙草行業領導者日本煙草公司、日本煙草市場的第二大公司菲莫日本公司，以及英美煙草日本公司提出了3%的要求。經過與財政部的會談，預計這三家公司最早將于今年12月底提交正式申請。

　　大多數支柱產品，如日本煙草的Mevius、菲莫公司的萬寶路和英美煙草的建牌，售價為每包410日元或440日元。提稅將使每包價格提高大約12日元。

　　據一位業內官員說，制造商希望提高價格，以抵消提稅以及提價引發的需求疲軟。

　　據有關人士透露，制造商們計劃在審查材料成本和品牌實力后再做最后決定，同時討論是否提高那些具有較高市場份額的產品價格，或保持價格持平。

Prices of Some Cigarette Brands May Not Rise after Japanese Tax Hike

　　Three major Japanese cigarette makers, including giant Japan Tobacco Inc., are in the final stages of deciding how they will handle the coming consumption tax hike, including the possibility they won't raise their prices.

　　Because it would be unrealistic to raise prices by less than ￥10 for products sold in vending machines, each maker will consider three options: keeping prices the same or raising them by ￥10 or ￥20 after the tax is raised from 5 percent to 8 percent in April 2014, industry sources said Tuesday.

　　In response to a request from the Finance Ministry, each maker plans to limit overall price hikes to 3 percent of combined sales of all products, they said.

　　By the end of October, each company will submit a draft plan of revised cigarette prices, including a hike for each brand, to the ministry, which has the authority to approve cigarette prices.

　　The ministry made the 3 percent request by the end of last week to industry leader JT, Philip Morris Japan, the second-largest player in the country's tobacco market, and British American Tobacco Japan. Following talks with the ministry, the three companies are expected to file formal applications by the end of December at the earliest.

　　Most of their mainstay products, such as JT's Mevius, Philip Morris' Marlboro and British American Tobacco's Kent, are sold at ￥410 or ￥440 per pack. The tax hike would lead to price hikes of some ￥12 per pack.

　　The manufacturers are hoping to raise prices to offset both the tax hike and weaker demand stemming from higher prices, according to one industry official.

　　They plan to make a final decision after examining material costs and the strength of brands, while discussing whether to raise the prices of products with higher market shares or keep prices flat, according to the sources. Enditem