Guwahati: The National Tax Agency of Japan’s “Sake Viva!” campaign urged youth to consume more alcohol, was received with vehement opposition from the Japanese people. Social media users in Japan criticised the government organisation for imposing rules on people’s lifestyle choices.
The initiative, which was started in July and is an idea competition, is looking for suggestions from businesses and young people to help revitalise Japan’s liquor industry. After being covered by news organisations both inside and outside of Japan, the campaign gained steam on Twitter this week and was immediately received with harsh condemnation from the Japanese populace.
Japanese brewers claim that the fall in alcohol sales is a result of health-conscious consumers, an ageing population, and youth with diverse tastes.
Brewers are even marketing lower-alcohol products after observing a substantial decline in alcohol sales at restaurants and bars during the Covid-19 outbreak. The inflation rate is also increasing along with these problems.
People on Twitter stated that it should be viewed favourably if young people choose to abstain from drinking. They also emphasised how the message conflicts with the health ministry’s advice, which supports moderate drinking.
According to information accessed by news agency Bloomberg, tax revenue from alcohol sales decreased by 11% in 2020 compared to the amount in 2016. The amount of alcohol subject to tax decreased by 10% from 2010. 7.7 billion litres of alcohol were taxed in 2020. In 2020, Japan only received $8 billion in tax revenue from the sale of alcohol.
Applications for the “Sake Viva!” idea competition are accepted from all around the world as long as they are written in Japanese. The deadline for submissions is September 9. On November 10, the finals will be place in Tokyo. To increase sales, the participants will recommend marketing strategies that appeal to young people or make use of artificial intelligence and the metaverse.
The National Tax Agency told Bloomberg that the campaign is not aimed at encouraging people to drink more. They said the campaign comes at a time when factors like Covid-19 and an ageing population are affecting the alcohol industry and is aimed at promoting it.
The Japanese Ministry of Health stated that while it is not a part of the campaign, it is aware of the National Tax Agency’s advertising effort. They added that it is consistent with the advice it offers, which is to use alcohol sensibly.