Japan’s young adults are a sober bunch – something authorities are hoping to change with a new campaign.
The younger generation drinks less alcohol than their parents – a move that has hit taxes from beverages like sake (rice wine).
So the national tax agency has stepped in with a national competition to come up with ideas to reverse the trend.
The “Sake Viva!” campaign hopes to come up with a plan to make drinking more attractive – and boost the industry.
The contest asks 20 to 39-year-olds to share their business ideas to kick-start demand among their peers – whether it’s for Japanese sake, shochu, whisky, beer or wine.
The group running the competition for the tax authority says new habits – partly formed during the Covid pandemic – and an ageing population have led to a decline in alcohol sales.
I – Word Understanding
Kick-start – to make something start to happen or develop more quickly
Peers – one belonging to the same societal group especially based on age, grade, or status
II – Have Your Say
1, Explain the lifestyle of young Japanese (20-40 years old) these days, how different it is from before. How does this affect their drinking habits? Do you think they should drink more?
2, If you were to create a campaign to convince young people to drink more, how would you do it?
902 Japan urges its young people to drink more to boost economy
