Brief summary of market liberalisation process in Japan
| 1978 | First US government request for Japan to decrease tariff on US tobacco |
| 1982 | Tariff on imported tobacco reduced from 90% to 20% |
| 1985 | Conversion from Japan Public Monopoly Corporation (JPMC) to Japan Tobacco Inc (JT) |
| Monopoly in sales and distribution ended | |
| Budgetary ratio concept in advertising abolished in favour of restriction in the total volume of radio, televison, and print advertising. | |
| 1987 | Tariff on US tobacco abolished |