The Japanese government has been hit in the pocket by an unusual problem which is – its young people are not drinking enough.
Since the pandemic began, bars and other premises selling alcohol have been hit hard by Covid-19 restrictions, which have caused sales – and liquor tax revenues – to plunge in the world’s third-largest economy.
So what is the government’s view and solution? The government launched a contest to find new ways to encourage young people to drink more by using a campaign called “Sake Viva!”
The “Sake Viva!” campaign, which is overseen by the National Tax Agency, invites participants to submit ideas on how to “boost the demand among young people” for alcohol through new services, designs promotional methods, products, and even sales techniques using artificial intelligence or the met averse, in a report by the official competition website.
But not everyone is on board, with the competition and tax agency receiving criticism from some people online.
“Are you kidding me?” one Twitter user wrote. “Staying away from alcohol is a good thing!”
While the government is majorly concerned about the low income being generated by low alcohol sales, others pointed out that it seemed inappropriate for a government agency to encourage young people to drink. Further, they added that it appeared the campaign had not considered health risks or sensitivity toward people dealing with alcoholism