Written by Ishika Yadav | Edited by Swati Bhasin
The Japanese government has launched a nationwide competition to encourage youngsters to drink more alcohol. The campaign to promote liquor consumption comes as Japan recently witnessed its biggest fall in alcohol tax income in 31 years, according to multiple reports. The “Sake Viva!” campaign, being run by the National Tax Agency (NTA), asks 20- to 39-year-old citizens to come up with proposals that help in revitalising the popularity of alcoholic drinks. The competition calls for “new products and designs” as well as ways to promote home drinking, and will run till September 9.
Why is Japan’s alcohol tax income dwindling
Officials have been quoted as saying by local media that alcohol consumption in Japan had fallen from an average of 100 litres a person a year in 1995 to 75 litres in 2020. According to the Japanese Times, taxes on alcohol accounted for 5 per cent of Japan’s total tax revenue in 1980, It fell down to 3 per cent in 2011 and declined further to 1.7 per cent in 2020. Total revenue from tax on alcohol in the 2020 financial year fell by more than 110 billion Yen (or 806 million US dollars), compared with the previous year.
This is because the younger generation in Japan consumes less alcohol than their parents. Whether it’s for Japanese sake, shochu, whisky, beer or wine – the popularity of alcoholic drinks fell further due to lifestyle changes during the coronavirus pandemic. Further, the country’s older demographic is also a reason why the alcohol market is shrinking in Japan.
Less time to read?
Try Quickreads
-
Covid outbreaks in China’s summer vacation hotspots leave thousands stranded
China’s summer vacation hotspots are struggling to get Covid-19 outbreaks under control with the country witnessing its worst week of infections since mid-May. On Thursday, the daily Covid cases dropped to 2,678 from 3,424 a day earlier but, still, the country has reported more than 18,000 local Covid cases in the last seven days amid worrying outbreaks in Hainan, Tibet and Xinjiang that stranded thousands of tourists.
-
Ex Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to return to US, applies for Green Card
Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa – who fled in July this year after violent protests over the economic crisis in the island nation – has applied for to the United States government for a Green Card, multiple news agencies reported Thursday. Reports indicate Rajapaksa’s lawyers have begun the application for what is permanent residency in the US. Rajapaksa renounced his citizenship in 2019 to contest presidential elections.
-
China declares national drought, heatwave threatens crops | 5 points
China on Friday issued its first national drought alert of the year after 66 rivers dried up in the country’s southwest. The drought, coupled with intense heatwaves due to forest fires, pose a serious threat to China’s crops. China’s drought crisis explained: 1. Government officials have repeatedly cited global climate change as the cause. Experts warned previously that China, the world’s largest CO2 emitter, would face extreme weather events as a result of climate change.
-
In a first, I-Day celebrations held in Canada’s hotbed of Khalistani radicals
The Consulate General of India in Vancouver held the country’s 76th Independence Day celebrations in the city of Surrey for the first time. Surrey, a city in British Columbia, is the hotbed of Khalistani separatists. Guru Nanak Sikh Gudwara and Dashmesh Darbar Gurdwara in Surrey are anti India and pro Khalistan. Surrey mayor Dough McCallum issued a proclamation declaring Aug 15, 2022 as “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav Day” in the city.
-
_1660883976926_1660883992498_1660883992498.jpg "Finland prime minister Sanna Marin had hosted a party for her friends at her private residence.")
‘Ready to take drug test,’ says Finnish PM after leaked party video | 5 points
Finland’s prime minister Sanna Marin said Thursday she would have no problem with taking a drug test after a video of the 36-year-old partying sparked criticism. A lowdown on Sanna Marin party controversy: 1. Finland prime minister Sanna Marin had hosted a party for her friends at her private residence. Later, a video surfaced on social media. The clip shows the Finnish PM partying and seemingly consuming alcohol.