- The campaign is being criticized for promoting unhealthy habits.

Alcoholic drinks. / Pexels

Japan calls for an ideas contest to encourage its young people to drink more alcohol

The Japan Tax Agency has opened a competition to collect business ideas to encourage young people to drink more alcohol. The decision has been made due to the decrease in its consumption as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and the consequent drop in tax collection.

The campaign has been baptized "Sake viva!", a play on words that uses the Japanese term for alcoholic beverages and the Spanish word. The initiative invites proposals aimed at "revitalizing the alcoholic beverage industry and solving its problems," according to its website.

The objective is "to increase knowledge among the population about the alcoholic beverages sector, which is experiencing difficulties due to Covid and the low birth rate, which means that there are fewer consumers," according to a spokesman for the Japanese Tax Agency. The agency also works to support the national alcohol industry by promoting the export of products such as sake (rice liquor), "which are an important part of Japan's culture and tradition," according to the same source.

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Given the criticism that the campaign is receiving on social networks for promoting unhealthy habits, the spokesman pointed out that the Tax Agency "does not seek excessive consumption and that it also works to educate young people on moderate consumption."

Fall in tax collection

The collection of taxes on alcohol in Japan decreased in the fiscal year 2020 by 110,000 million yen (799 million euros), to 1.13 billion yen (8,216 million euros). This represents the biggest drop in 31 years, according to data from the Tax Agency.

The average per capita spending on alcohol in bars and restaurants in 2020 was 9,000 yen (about 65 euros), which is less than half that recorded a year earlier, according to data from the Ministry of the Interior. In contrast, the average spending of each Japanese household on drinks rose from 41,000 yen (298 euros) in 2019 to 46,000 yen (334 euros) in 2020.

Other official data and the results sheets of Japanese companies in the sector also show a marked decline in sales of products with alcoholic content. This contrasts with the upward trend of non-alcoholic drinks similar to beer or cocktails, and other products with energy properties or supposed health benefits.

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This evolution is attributed to the Asian country's anti-contagion measures during the pandemic, which included the recommendation to citizens to avoid leaving home except for essential trips -although Japan never applied mandatory confinement-, and the restrictions on hours for bars or restaurants. or even its temporary closure.

The Tax Agency's campaign invites people to submit ideas to promote new services and methods to stimulate alcohol consumption among young people, propose products based on new lifestyles and establish innovative distribution methods based on artificial intelligence or the metaverse.

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The period for presenting proposals is open from the beginning of July until September 9, and in November there will be a presentation with the plans of the chosen finalists.

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