Caster (cigarette)

Caster was a Japanese brand of cigarettes that was owned and manufactured by Japan Tobacco.[1]

Caster
Two Japanese packs of Caster cigarettes with a text warning at the bottom of the pack
Product typeCigarette
OwnerJapan Tobacco
Produced byJapan Tobacco
CountrySee Markets
IntroducedJuly 1, 1982 (July 1, 1982)
DiscontinuedNovember 2016
MarketsJapan
Tagline"Taste better than Casters", "I'm me, this tastes like"
Carcinogenicity: IARC group 1

History

The first Caster variant was launched on July 1, 1982 by the former "Nippon Monopoly Corporation".

Tobacco used in Caster cigarettes also used vanilla from Madagascar (Caster Frontier used chocolate fragrance). Over time, other variants were also introduced, such as Caster Mild, Caster Super Mild and Caster One.[2]

In 2003, Caster Super Mild was released in Hiroshima prefecture with a limited edition design that emphasized the initial letter "C" of Caster. In the summer of 2004, the 5-packs of Caster cigarettes were renewed, but the Mild and Super Mild packs were not renewed and were still using the old design.

In December 2007, all Caster variants got a new design, and the old logo and emblem were restored.

Since early April 2010, the cigarettes have an improved perfume balance and "D-spec" (the name of a low-odor cigarette) was introduced.

Caster Mild is the most popular variant, sometimes abbreviated as "Casemai" in Japanese.[3]

After the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami struck Japan, Japan Tobacco announced they would stop selling the Caster One, and Caster Menthol variants.[4][5] However, the original duty-free shop only packs of Caster Classic were renewed and were sold again.

The pack design changed again around the beginning of August 2012, as the emblem designed on the upper left became bigger. In addition, "Frontier Light" was integrated into the Caster brand and renewed to "Caster Frontier One" (here the "D-spec" was not yet introduced, and the filter was also a common charcoal filter. The product was a dual charcoal filter bundle). In addition, it was renamed as "ERR 1" at the time of transition to the Winston brand.

In 2015, all Caster products except one were merged with the Winston brand, leaving only Gold Silk as the only remaining brand of Cigarette with the name Caster on it. Eventually, Gold Silk would also be discontinued in November 2016.

In the 1980s, Japan Tobacco created various poster advertisements in which famous actor Tatsuya Fuji appeared. "I'm me, this tastes like" was a slogan he used in those adverts.[6][7]

In the 1990s, some television advertisements were also made to promote Caster cigarettes.[8][9]

Some old telephone cards also had Caster advertisements on them.[10][11]

Markets

Caster cigarettes were mainly sold in Japan, but were also sold in Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea.[12][13][14][15]

Products

Below are all the variants of Caster cigarettes, with the levels of tar and nicotine included.

NameRelease dateDate of discontinuancePrice in ¥TarNicotineDescription
Caster OriginalJuly 1, 1982May 2011 (In duty-free shops around July 2012)410 Yen7 mg0,6 mg
Caster SpecialApril 1, 1984July 1992240 Yen8 mg0,7 mgReleased as a King size version of a Caster that was long size at the time (the tobacco blend is somewhat different). Due to the king size it was later discontinued.
Caster Special BoxJanuary 1, 1988October 1994240 Yen8 mg0,8 mgReleased as a King size version of a Caster that was long size at the time (the tobacco blend is somewhat different). Due to the king size it was later discontinued.
Caster MildOctober 1, 1988November 2015420 Yen5 mg0,4 mgNickname: SYMPHONIC. Changed to "Winston XS Caster 5"
Caster BevelSeptember 1, 1990November 2015250 Yen8 mg0,7 mgSince September 1995, it became the Bevel brand.
Caster Mild BoxOctober 1, 1992November 2015420 Yen5 mg0,4 mgNickname: SYMPHONIC. Changed to "Winston XS Caster 5"
Caster Frontier One BoxFebruary 1, 1993November 2015420 Yen1 mg0,1 mgIn August 2012, it was moved from frontier light box of the frontier brand. The release date is the total from the frontier. Changed to "Winston XS Caster F One Box"
Caster BoxJanuary 5, 1995October 2003280 Yen8 mg0,7 mgIn duty-free shops renamed and sold again as "Caster Classic Box"
Caster Super Mild BoxDecember 1, 1995November 2015420 Yen3 mg0,3 mgNickname: HARMONIC. Changed to "Winston XS Caster 3 Box"
Caster One 100's BoxDecember 2, 1996November 2015420 Yen1 mg0,1 mgNickname: MELODIC. Changed to "Winston XS Caster One 100's Box"
Caster Mild Pure BoxOctober 1, 1997June 2002270 Yen6 mg0,5 mgProducts with less smoke before D-spec
Caster One BoxJanuary 11, 1999August 2015420 Yen1 mg0,1 mgNickname: MELODIC
Caster OneDecember 1, 2000May 2011410 Yen1 mg0,1 mgSoft pack
Caster Super MildSeptember 1, 2003November 2015420 Yen3 mg0,3 mgNickname: HARMONIC. Changed to "Winston XS Caster 3"
Caster Classic BoxAround August 2012November 20152600 Yen (10 packs)7 mg0,6 mgSold in duty-free shops only. Once sold as "Caster Box". Changed to "Winston XS Caster 7 Box" around the Spring of 2016[16][17]
Caster Gold Silk 6 BoxEarly December 2014November 2016440 Yen6 mg0,6 mgPremium items that emphasize mellowness by microfabrication method
Caster Bevel MentholJune 2, 1992September 1995250 Yen8 mg0,7 mgSince September 1995, it became Bevelle bever, light and menthol and was sold until June 2003
Caster Menthol BoxJuly 1, 2004May 2011410 Yen3 mg0,3 mgInitially called "Caster Cool Vanilla Menthol Box"

See also

References
  1. "Cigarette packaging in Japan | PingMag : Art, Design, Life – from Japan". Pingmag.jp. Archived from the original on 2015-10-21. Retrieved 2016-02-25.
  2. "Japanese Cigarette Brands". Wonderfulrife.blogspot.nl. Archived from the original on 29 January 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  3. "平成21(2009)年度第3四半期累計 (4月～12月)紙巻たばこ販売実績について" (PDF). Tioj.or.jp. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  4. "国内たばこ事業における製品供給の状況について | Jtウェブサイト". Archived from the original on 2012-04-22. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  5. "ご指定のページが見つかりませんでした。" (PDF). Jti.co.jp. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 April 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  6. "藤竜也 hashtag Images on Tumblr - GramUnion - Tumblr Explorer". Gramunion.com. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  7. "藤竜也 | Tumblr". Archived from the original on 2017-11-02. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
  8. "caster mild". YouTube. 8 April 2007. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  9. "Caster Box Spot Ad キャスター ボックス 90年代 CM Japan". YouTube. 14 March 2017. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  10. "CASTER CIGARETTES ON USED PHONECARD FROM JAPAN - eBay". eBay. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  11. "CASTER 1 CIGARETTES ON USED PHONECARD FROM JAPAN - eBay". eBay. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  12. "BrandCaster - Cigarettes Pedia". Cigarettespedia.com. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  13. "Caster". Zigsam.at. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  14. "Bevel". Zigsam.at. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  15. "Brands". Cigarety.by. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  16. "JT gears up to launch three new Winston products". Tobaccoreporter.com. 10 September 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  17. "Japan Tobacco International Introduces 15 New Tobacco Products - Cigs4US.biz". Cigs4us.online. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
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