▁since ▁its ▁creation ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁second ▁largest ▁cig aret te ▁brand ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁On ▁August ▁ 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁Japan ▁Tob acco ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁long time ▁M ild ▁Seven ▁brand ▁name ▁would ▁be ▁changed ▁to ▁Me vi us , ▁due ▁to ▁legisl ation ▁around ▁the ▁brand ing ▁of ▁c igare tt es ▁as ▁" m ild " ▁in ▁some ▁countries ; ▁and ▁in ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁strength en ▁the ▁brand ' s ▁" pre m ium ▁image ". ▁The ▁name ▁change ▁began ▁in ▁Japan ▁in ▁February , ▁followed ▁by ▁Singapore ▁and ▁Korea ▁the ▁following ▁month . ▁ ▁Cont ro vers y ▁ ▁C ounter fe it ▁M ild ▁Se vens ▁from ▁North ▁Korea ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁it ▁was ▁reported ▁that ▁counter fe it ▁M ild ▁Seven ▁c igare tt es ▁were ▁sm ugg led ▁and ▁sold ▁outside ▁of ▁Japan . ▁▁ ▁The ▁pack ▁design ▁is ▁very ▁similar ▁but ▁the ▁quality ▁of ▁the ▁c igare tt es ▁such ▁as ▁sc ent ▁and ▁taste ▁are ▁not . ▁The ▁to b acco ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁counter fe it ▁c igare tt es ▁is ▁not ▁compar able ▁with ▁genu ine ▁br ands . ▁▁ ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁survey ▁results ▁both ▁inside ▁and ▁outside ▁of ▁Japan , ▁there ▁is ▁strong ▁susp icion ▁that ▁these ▁fake ▁cig aret te ▁are ▁manufact ured ▁as ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁foreign ▁currency ▁fund ▁ac quisition ▁activity ▁by ▁North ▁Korea . ▁ ▁M