Tobacco taxes should be raised until the average price for a pack of cigarettes is about ¥700, or 75 percent more than the present level, to cut medical costs, according to health minister Yoko Komiyama.

The ministry, which is participating in a Tax Commission session, will push for increasing tobacco levies by ¥100 annually for three years, Komiyama said recently.

Most of the members of the panel agreed with the idea last year, she said.