Japan wants young people to drink more alcohol. It’s just not sure how to convince them

For the reason that pandemic started, bars and different premises promoting alcohol have been hit onerous by Covid-19 restrictions, inflicting gross sales — and liquor tax revenues — to plummet on this planet’s third-largest financial system.

The competition contains promotional concepts for every type of Japanese alcohol, with functions open till September 9. Finalists might be invited to an knowledgeable session in October, earlier than a remaining event in November in Tokyo. The winner will obtain assist for his or her plan to be commercialized, based on the tax workplace.

However not everyone seems to be on board, with the competitors and tax company receiving criticism from some folks on-line.

“Are you kidding me?” one Twitter consumer wrote. “Staying away from alcohol is an effective factor!”

Others identified that it appeared inappropriate for a authorities company to encourage younger folks to drink, and it appeared the marketing campaign had not thought of well being dangers or sensitivity towards folks coping with alcoholism.

Japan’s Well being Ministry has previously warned of the risks of extreme ingesting. In a publish on its web site final 12 months, it referred to as extreme alcohol consumption a “main social downside” that endured regardless of a current slowdown in consumption. And it urged folks with unhealthy ingesting habits to “rethink” their relationship with alcohol.

A ministry spokesperson declined to touch upon the tax company’s competitors when contacted by CNN.

Declining gross sales

Izakayas — Japan’s model of a pub or tavern — have been significantly onerous hit, with the newest out there figures displaying gross sales halved from 2019 to 2020, based on the Ministry of Economic system, Commerce and Business.

With fewer alternatives to drink in public, the speed of “family consumption” — ingesting at dwelling — “elevated considerably,” the ministry mentioned.

However younger adults have stood out because the exception. About 30% of individuals of their 40s to 60s drink usually, which means three days or extra per week, the ministry mentioned — in comparison with simply 7.8% of individuals of their 20s.

“On this means, the decline in ingesting habits 12 months by 12 months is regarded as having an impact on the shrinking of the home market,” the ministry mentioned.

In a 2021 report, the tax company mentioned duties on liquor had been a significant income supply for the federal government for hundreds of years, however had declined in current a long time. Japan obtained 1.1 trillion yen ($8.1 billion) in alcohol tax in 2021 — 1.7% of general tax income, in comparison with 3% in 2011, and 5% in 1980.

Japan lifted its state of emergency in October 2021, permitting eating places to promote alcohol once more and keep open later — however restrictions in some components of the nation remained in place till March this 12 months.