Japan urges its young people to drink more to boost economy
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, whiskey, 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...
