This is the sort of move that is sure to make lots of people laugh and ask questions. It’s not every day that you see a government pleading with their younger population to consume alcohol on a more frequent basis.
The 2020 pandemic has caused major issues for the Japanese economy and this has led the government to a very interesting place.
The money that they were once taking in from alcohol taxes plummeted, which makes all the sense in the world. When the pandemic hit, people simply were not drinking at the same rate that they once were. It’s a social beverage, for sure. In 2020, tax revenues took a nosedive of over $800 million USD. In Japanese yen? This number climbs to a whopping 110 billion yen.
“As working from home made strides to a certain extent during the COVID-19 crisis, many people may have come to question whether they need to continue the habit of drinking with colleagues to deepen communication,” said one Japanese tax official during a recent interview with the Japan Times. “If the ‘new normal’ takes root, that will be an additional headwind for tax revenue,” they continued.
In order to spread the word about this new normal, they have come up with a sponsored contest that is known as “Sake Viva!” and we are very intrigued. The young folks of Japan (between the ages of 20 and 39) are being asked for ideas that will make alcohol consumption a more appealing choice for their demographic. Proposals can vary in a number of different ways.
They can offer up promotional campaigns and even propose new products. Japan is facing an uphill battle, as the older population and recent changes to Japanese social life have made drinking less and less appealing to the younger generation.
“Socializing is seen as exhausting and a waste of mental energy,” says alcohol journalist Toshihiko Oki to NPR. “Japanese worry about how they’re seen by other people, and they want to avoid getting drunk and blurting out anything that could trigger criticism.”
Meanwhile, younger people are still worried about the ongoing pandemic.
“The media is announcing record COVID cases, while restaurants are like, ‘don’t talk while eating, wear a mask,’” 27-year-old Chika Kato said in a recent New York Times piece. “But the government at the same time is asking us to go all out and drink … Who do I listen to?” Entries must be received by September 9.