煙草在線據(jù)《日本時(shí)報(bào)》報(bào)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(xiàn)在處于決定他們將如何應(yīng)對即將到來的消費(fèi)稅上調(diào)的最后階段，他們也有可能不提高價(jià)格。

　　因?yàn)閷τ谠谧詣?dòng)售貨機(jī)上出售的產(chǎn)品，提價(jià)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(jià)格不變，或者在2014年4月消費(fèi)稅提高5%-8%以后將價(jià)格提高10日元或20日元，業(yè)內(nèi)人士周二（10月15日）表示。

　　他們說，為響應(yīng)財(cái)政部的要求，各制造商計(jì)劃將所有產(chǎn)品合并銷售的整體價(jià)格上漲限制在3%。

　　到今年10月底，每家公司將向財(cái)政部提交一份修訂卷煙價(jià)格的計(jì)劃草案，包括每個(gè)品牌的提價(jià)幅度，日本財(cái)政部有權(quán)批準(zhǔn)卷煙價(jià)格。

　　財(cái)政部上周末（10.12-13）向煙草行業(yè)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)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(jīng)過與財(cái)政部的會(huì)談，預(yù)計(jì)這三家公司最早將于今年12月底提交正式申請。

　　大多數(shù)支柱產(chǎn)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(jià)為每包410日元或440日元。提稅將使每包價(jià)格提高大約12日元。

　　據(jù)一位業(yè)內(nèi)官員說，制造商希望提高價(jià)格，以抵消提稅以及提價(jià)引發(fā)的需求疲軟。

　　據(jù)有關(guān)人士透露，制造商們計(jì)劃在審查材料成本和品牌實(shí)力后再做最后決定，同時(shí)討論是否提高那些具有較高市場份額的產(chǎn)品價(jià)格，或保持價(jià)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