Well, who wouldn’t like a pint or a shot of whiskey once in a while? And if you are indeed young, then binge drinking is a part of one’s life. For years, we have heard stories of youngsters guzzling their beers. Now, the Japanese government tax agency is encouraging youngsters between 20 and 39 to drink more.
As ridiculous as it might sound, especially in the post-COVID era, where people have been bitten by the fitness bug, the Japanese government is trying its best to make up for plummeting sales. So, in an effort to make up for the losses, the National Tax Agency has started a contest called The Sake Viva! Contest, and as a part of it, youngsters from all over Japan and across the world will pitch their own business plans.
The only criterion is that the applicant should be aged between 20 and 39, apart from the application being in Japanese. The agency is hoping to get ideas around sake, shochu, awamori, beer, whiskey, wine, liquor, and other types of alcohol.
Less drinking in Japan is being attributed to low birth rates, an aging population, and others adapting to healthier lifestyles. According to one 2021 report, many young have shifted to sparkling liquor, chuhai, and beer-like products.
The organization has also launched a Japanese wine fun website, had a wine fair, a craft beer online festival, and created a space for Japanese breweries to add themselves to the map. Meanwhile, Japan has also started teaching its young that they cannot drink alcohol if they haven’t turned 20 and has allotted the month of April for the awareness drive.
