Oct. 30 (Bloomberg) -- Japan’s health ministry will seek to increase tobacco taxes by 10 yen per cigarette, Kyodo News said, citing unidentified government officials.

The ministry decided yesterday to ask the government’s tax panel for the increase, the report said. It would raise government revenue by 440 billion yen ($4.8 billion) in the first year, and help fund social security measures, the report said.

The price of a pack of 20 cigarettes would increase to about 500 yen from 300 yen, the report said.

Last Updated: October 29, 2009 18:42 EDT