TOKYO -- It was like a scene from a gangster movie. The tall man slowly drew on his cigarette and replied in a low voice. "Am I optimistic? No, I am confident in our $2 billion investment." His sidekick looked on, a cigarette dangling from his mouth.
It wasn't a clandestine deal in a dark alley, but rather an interview. Laurent Boissart, president of Philip Morris Japan, and his press officer had no qualms about puffing on their product as they spoke in a glass-walled building in the heart of Tokyo. They were able to indulge in a smoke without being rude or breaking rules because their newest cigarette, the iQOS -- pronounced "eye-cos"-- doesn't give off any smoke or odor. The cigarette goes on sale in 12 Japanese cities Tuesday.
