Cigarette vending machines in Tokyo, Japan.

Regular smokers in Japan are about to experience a serious hike in the cost of cigarettes. The tax hikes are not intended to be temporary either; if Health Minister Yoko Komiyama is successful the hikes will annually increase by 100 yen ($1.30). The new average for a pack of cigarettes in Japan is 700 yen ($9.13). The assumed intention behind this price increase is to act as a deterrent to smokers, smokers in 2005 cost Japan 4.3 trillion ($56 billion) in medical costs and economic loss. For many Japanese citizens higher cost for such a dangerous habit should act as a catalyst for a healthier lifestyle.

Source: News on Japan